Uzbekistan's average monthly nominal accrued wage rose 18.4% y/y to UZS 7.09mn ($589) during the first six months of 2026, according to preliminary data released by the national statistical committee.

The increase extended a multi-year upward trend, with the average now nearly double what it was at the end of 1H22, namely UZS 3.55mn.

Tashkent remained the country's highest-paying location. The average monthly wage there reached UZS 12.01mn, up 18.2% from a year earlier. Navoi followed with UZS 8.72mn, while Tashkent region reported UZS 6.68mn. At the other end of the scale, Kashkadarya recorded the lowest average wage at UZS 4.86mn, followed by Surkhandarya at UZS 4.94mn. 

Average monthly wages stood at UZS 5.68mn in Andijan, UZS 5.62mn in Bukhara, UZS 5.56mn in Karakalpakstan, UZS 5.60mn in Syrdarya, UZS 5.50mn in Khorezm, UZS 5.40mn in Jizzakh, UZS 5.19mn in Samarkand, UZS 5.19mn in Namangan and UZS 5.16mn in Fergana.

Jizzakh recorded the fastest regional wage growth, with average earnings rising 20.4% year on year, followed by Namangan at 19.4%. Wages increased 17.8% in Tashkent region and 17.2% in Kashkadarya, while Andijan posted the slowest annual increase at 15.1%.

Sectoral data showed significant variation in earnings across industries. Banking, insurance, leasing and financial intermediation remained the highest-paying sector, with average monthly wages reaching UZS 19.10mn, followed by information and communications at UZS 17.42mn, transport and storage at UZS 11.07mn, industry at UZS 8.27mn, trade at UZS 7.65mn and construction at UZS 7.03mn. 

Average monthly wages amounted to UZS 5.86mn in arts, entertainment and recreation, UZS 5.19mn in accommodation and food services, UZS 4.98mn in education and UZS 4.44mn in healthcare and social services.

Transport and storage recorded the fastest wage growth among major industries, with average pay rising 22.8% year on year. Education and healthcare followed with increases of 20.3% and 20.1%, respectively, while construction wages rose 19.9%. Banking and financial services recorded growth of 17.5%, arts and recreation 16.2%, industry 15.4%, information and communications 15.3%, trade 13.1%, while accommodation and food services posted the weakest increase at 11.2%.

Within industry, mining offered the highest average monthly wage at UZS 11.71mn, followed by electricity, gas and steam supply at UZS 10.19mn, manufacturing at UZS 7.87mn and water supply and waste management at UZS 5.31mn. In trade, workers involved in motor vehicle sales and repair earned UZS 10.75mn on average, compared with UZS 8.17mn in wholesale trade and UZS 6.92mn in retail trade.

Within transport and storage, warehousing and transport support services recorded average monthly wages of UZS 12.31mn, compared with UZS 9.52mn for land and pipeline transport and UZS 4.59mn for postal and courier services.

Computer programming and related services remained among the highest-paid occupations in the information and communications sector, with average monthly wages of UZS 22.23mn, followed by information service activities at UZS 21.41mn and telecommunications at UZS 12.97mn.

In the financial sector, insurance and reinsurance employees earned an average of UZS 26.01mn per month, while financial support services averaged UZS 24.90mn and financial services excluding insurance and pension activities UZS 18.43mn.

In education, higher education staff received UZS 12.05mn per month on average, compared with UZS 5.37mn in technical and vocational education, UZS 4.67mn in general secondary education and UZS 2.72mn in preschool education.

The statistics are based on payroll reports submitted electronically by medium and large enterprises and organisations and exclude small businesses, microfirms and agricultural enterprises, which are incorporated into a separate annual wage survey.