5,500 Dinars to Live Decently, 554 Dinars to Survive

5,500 Tunisian dinars per month (equivalent to approximately 1,618 euros).

In 2026, this is the monthly wage – adjusted for inflation – that a Tunisian family comprising two parents and two children would need to live comfortably, without having to resort to a bank loan.

This was stated by the academic and economist Ridha Chkoundali on Jawhara FM radio on Tuesday 9 June, following studies that assessed the real cost of living in Tunisia, thereby highlighting the significant gap between a household’s actual income and its necessary daily expenditure.

5,500 dinars per month are required to cover the cost of living, compared with a Tunisian guaranteed minimum wage (SMIG) of 554 dinars per month. That is roughly 10 times the value of the SMIG: does this mean one would have to work 10 times as hard to reach a decent standard of living?

The answer is simple: no.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Tunisia’s trajectory regarding consumer credit is a cause for concern. Whilst inflation has finally stabilised to some extent since the post-Covid period, there is no guarantee that this trend will continue in the years to come. Rising energy prices or production costs could quickly reignite inflationary pressures.

“According to Ridha Chkoundali, the effects of the geopolitical crisis in the Middle East are not yet fully reflected in the current statistics. He stated, however, that Tunisia could face imported inflation in the coming months as a result of the disruptions affecting global energy and commodity markets.” (Business News)

The economist points out that a rise in energy costs in Europe will automatically feed through to production costs and fuel domestic inflation in the Tunisian economy, which is itself heavily dependent on imports of raw materials and other European products.

Against this backdrop, rising household debt, combined with a persistent erosion of purchasing power, risks becoming particularly dangerous for the country’s economic and social stability; it should also be noted that Tunisian purchasing power has fallen by 25 per cent over the last three years …

Sources: Jawhara FM, Business News, La Presse Tunisie, Tuniscope.com.