Qatar's cost of living, based on consumer price index (CPI), grew 0.4% year-on-year in March mainly on higher expenses, especially towards transport, health, food and clothing, according to official data.
The CPI inflation was however down 0.3% month-on-month in March this year as six main groups witnessed declines, according to the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics data.
The International Monetary Fund had said during 2017–18, subsidy cuts, increase in public fees, a moderate recovery in global commodity prices and the implementation of a value added tax are expected to moderate Qatar’s inflation over the medium term.
The transport sector, which has a 14.59% weightage, saw its group index vault 6.6% year-on-year and 0.3% on a monthly basis. The sector has the direct linkage to the dismantling of administered prices in petrol and diesel.
The index of health, which carries a 1.79% weightage, soared 5.3% year-on-year and was flat month-on-month in March 2018. 
Food and beverages, which has a weight of 12.58% in the CPI basket, witnessed a 4% surge in its group index on a yearly basis but was down 0.3% on a monthly basis.
The index of clothing and footwear, which carries a 5.11% weight, gained 2.6% year-on-year in March 2018; even as it fell 0.4% month-on-month.
Furniture and household equipment, which has a 7.7% weightage in the CPI basket, saw its index gain 1.1% year-on-year but traded a flat path month-on-month this March.
Miscellaneous Goods and Services, which has a 5.69% weightage, saw its index increase 0.9% on a yearly basis whereas it was down 0.1% month-on-month in March this year.
Education, with a 5.75% weightage, saw its index gain 0.9% on yearly basis in March 2018 but was unchanged month-on-month.
The housing, water, electricity and other fuels segment – with a weight of 21.89% in the CPI basket – saw a 5.2% year-on-year plunge in its index in March 2018 and 0.3% on a monthly basis.
The CPI of March 2018, excluding “housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels” showed an increase of 2.1% on a yearly basis but was down 0.2% a monthly basis
The communication sector, which carries a 5.87% bearing, saw its group index shrink 1.1% year-on-year in March 2018 but remained unchanged month-on-month.
The index of restaurants and hotels, which has a 6.08% weight, was down 0.7% and 0.1% on a yearly and monthly basis respectively this March.
Recreation and culture, with a 12.68% weigh in the CPI basket, saw a 1.8% and 1.5% declines in index year-on-year and month-on-month in March 2018.
Tobacco, which has a 0.27% weight, stood unchanged both annually and monthly in March 2018.
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