National Statistics Institute reports modest decline in July 2026, with food and beverage costs cooling while tobacco and hospitality sectors see upticks
The annual inflation rate in Tunisia edged down to 5.1% in July 2026, marking a slight improvement from the previous month’s 5.3%, according to official data released Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
The 0.2 percentage point decline was primarily driven by moderating price growth in the Food and Beverages sector, where inflation eased to 6.6% in July from 7.1% in June. The slowdown provides some relief for Tunisian households grappling with persistent cost-of-living pressures.
However, the relief was partially tempered by accelerated price increases in the Tobacco category, which rose to 1.3% from 1%, and in Restaurants and Hotels, where inflation climbed to 6.5% from 6.3%.
Food Prices Remain Stubbornly High
On an annual basis, Food and Beverage prices surged by 6.6%, with meat and produce leading the charge. Lamb prices skyrocketed by 16.7%, while fresh fruit climbed 13.8%, beef rose 13.7%, poultry increased 12.5%, and fresh fish jumped 11.6%.
In contrast, some food items saw significant price declines, offering consumers a measure of respite. Edible oils dropped 4.9%, while egg prices fell 3.8% compared to the same period last year.
Manufacturing, Services, and Core Inflation
Prices of manufactured goods increased 4.7% year-on-year, with clothing and footwear rising by 9.1% and household maintenance products up 4.7%. Service prices advanced 4.3%, driven largely by a 16.6% surge in accommodation costs.
Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, eased to 4.8% in July from 4.9% in June, signaling underlying price pressures may be gradually stabilizing.
Regulated vs. Unregulated Products
The data reveals a stark divergence between regulated and unregulated product pricing. Non-regulated products saw prices rise 6.2% annually, compared with a more modest 1.1% increase for regulated items. Within the food category, non-regulated food products jumped 7.4%, while regulated food items inched up just 0.2%.
Key Contributors to Inflation
According to the INS, Manufactured Goods and Services made the largest contributions to overall inflation, accounting for 1.8 and 1.4 percentage points respectively. By pricing regime, non-regulated non-food products contributed 3 percentage points, while non-regulated food products added 1.9 percentage points to the headline figure.
The July figures suggest Tunisia’s inflation trajectory may be gradually moderating, though food prices—particularly meat and fresh produce—continue to exert significant upward pressure on household budgets.
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