AZE.US
Retail trade in Azerbaijan totaled 15.9 billion manats in the first three months of 2026, marking a 3.7% increase from the same period last year.
But the bigger takeaway is where the money is going. Roughly 55% of consumer spending is still being directed toward food, showing that basic daily necessities continue to absorb the largest share of household budgets.
Residents interviewed in the report said food remains their main expense, with some estimating that they spend at least 20 manats a day on groceries alone. Others pointed to children’s education as another major financial burden.
Economist Elshad Mammadli said two categories posted particularly sharp increases. Spending on computers, telecommunications equipment and printed products rose by 32.6%, while pharmaceuticals and medical supplies increased by 25.4%.
According to him, the expansion in spending on high-tech goods reflects both the growing role of that segment in the economy and changes in prices. In the pharmaceuticals segment, he said turnover growth appears to have been driven mainly by rising prices.
The report noted that Azerbaijan’s population spent more than 1.6 billion manats on pharmaceutical products last year. That suggests medicine costs are taking an increasingly visible place in household spending alongside food.
Overall, the figures point to a familiar pressure point for consumers in Azerbaijan: most household money is still going toward essentials, while the cost of medicines and other necessary goods continues to climb.
AZE.US