World News
Tunisian living costs surge as currency depreciation worsens long-term economic strain
Nearly 16 years after the Arab Spring, steep price hikes on food, transport, and school supplies continue to pressure household budgets.
The short version
- The Tunisian dinar has lost about half its value against the U.S. dollar since 2010, driving up the cost of imported goods.
- Prices for staples like carrots, beef, and potatoes have jumped significantly since 2010, while tightly controlled items like rice have seen smaller increases.
- Although President Kais Saied halted IMF-backed plans to end universal subsidies in 2023, shortages of subsidized goods have forced residents to buy pricier alternatives.
Key facts
- The exchange rate dropped from 1.47 Tunisian dinars per U.S. dollar in December 2010 to 2.93 dinars per dollar recently.[Al Jazeera]
- Food price increases since 2010 include carrots up 428 percent, beef up 290 percent, potatoes up 268 percent, cooking oil up 129 percent, chicken up 118 percent, and tomatoes up 113 percent.[Al Jazeera]
- Rice prices rose by 10 percent over the same period due to government price controls.[Al Jazeera]
- Tunisia has subsidized key food items through the General Compensation Fund since 1970, and President Kais Saied halted a 2022 plan to transition to targeted cash transfers in 2023.[Al Jazeera]