As the New Year 2026 approaches, it's time to assess how much more expensive the celebration has become. The editorial team of Kaktus.media conducted a study to find out how much the ingredients for the classic Soviet Olivier salad now cost.
We also determined which city in the country will have the highest price for Olivier, and compared the current prices in Bishkek with those from last year and six years ago.
Price Changes Over the Past Year
Comparing with the previous year, we noticed an increase in prices for sausage, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, and peas. The exceptions were mayonnaise and eggs, which became cheaper. As a result, the average cost of all the necessary components for five servings of Olivier in December 2024 was 524 soms, which is 19 soms more than last year (505 soms).
The prices for canned peas and cucumbers were taken in a single variant across the country, as there is no regional information available. Data on eggs and potatoes were collected on December 29, 2025, while the prices for the other ingredients were assessed based on average prices for November.
It turned out that residents of Karakol and the village of Chayek in the Jumgal district will face the highest prices for Olivier. Bishkek ranks third among cities with expensive New Year salad, while Uzgen, Razakov, and Toktogul offer it at lower prices. The difference in cost is mainly related to the prices of sausage and mayonnaise, while the other ingredients do not vary significantly by region.
Peak Prices for Salad
For six years, Kaktus.media has been monitoring the prices for a serving of Olivier. During this time, the cost of the salad has increased by 122 soms, which is almost a third of the original price. The highest price for Olivier was recorded in 2023, when it nearly reached 600 soms.
If we analyze the data in more detail, the largest price increase was recorded for sausage (69 soms) and mayonnaise (28 soms). However, one ingredient, peas, became cheaper by 4 soms (5.9%). In December 2022, when Olivier reached its maximum cost, there was a sharp rise in prices for boiled sausage, cucumbers, mayonnaise, and peas. In December 2023, prices for all these products, except for sausage, decreased, which also led to a reduction in the overall cost of the salad.
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