Prices Up, Prices Down

The proposed FY2026–27 budget has introduced a series of tax and duty changes that are expected to affect the prices of a wide range of goods and services. While higher taxes on some imported and non-essential products may push up prices, tax cuts and duty exemptions on healthcare, technology, agriculture and green energy products are likely to provide relief to consumers.

Likely to get costlier

• Cigarettes and tobacco products
• Nicotine pouches
• Vapes
• Locally produced liquor
• Petrol and diesel vehicles with engine capacities of 1,200cc–1,600cc
• Imported washing machines
• Imported copper tubes
• Imported cold-rolled and coated coils and sheets
• Imported transformers with capacities up to 1 KVA
• Imported DC motors up to 1,200 watts
• Imported honey
• Imported coffee
• Imported cashew nuts
• Imported toys
• Imported tiles
• Imported toilets and basins
• Imported shirting, panting and suiting fabrics
• Imported microwave ovens
• Imported stone chips
• Imported lighters and lighter parts
• MS products

 Likely to get cheaper

Healthcare

• Kidney dialysis filters and related products
• Heart stents/rings
• Intraocular lenses
• Special assistive devices for persons with disabilities
• Cancer medicines
• Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)
• Other life-saving medicines
• Medical equipment

Information technology

• Laptops
• Desktop computers
• Computer printers
• Computer monitors
• Computer accessories
• Solid-state drives (SSDs)
• Point of Sale (POS) machines

Food and agriculture

• Baby food
• All types of spices
• All types of dates
• Fertilisers
• Veterinary medicines
• Pesticides
• Poultry, dairy and fish feed

Electric vehicles and renewable energy

• Electric vehicles (EVs) worth up to US$50,000
• Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) up to 2,000cc
• Electric buses and trucks
• E-bikes
• EV chargers and charging stations
• Solar panels/photovoltaic cells
• Solar inverters
• Lithium batteries
• Lithium battery packs
• Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
• Solar panel mounting structures

Home appliances

• Electric cookers
• Induction cookers
• Infrared cookers
• Water purifiers
• Water heaters and geysers

Other products

• Smart cards and bank cards
• Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs)
• Mortuary equipment
• Synthetic woven fabrics
• Musical instruments such as guitars, pianos and violins
• Cinematographic cameras and related parts
• Skincare and beauty products
• Jewellery
• SIM cards

Locally manufactured products

• Mobile phones
• Refrigerators
• Freezers
• Air conditioners
• Washing machines
• ATMs
• CCTV systems