Cigarette Prices in Tunisia (2026)

In 1998, Law 98-78 introduced the first restrictions framing tobacco advertising in Tunisia. Part of an emerging public-health approach, this measure marked the starting point of a regulatory framework aimed at limiting the public's exposure to the marketing of tobacco products.

In 2009, a public-health law banned smoking in health, educational and administrative establishments, in order to protect the public from passive smoking. Its enforcement nonetheless remained limited, illustrating the frequent gap between the adoption of a text and its effective implementation on the ground.

In 2010, Tunisia ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the first international public-health treaty in this field. This accession commits the country to gradually aligning its legislation with recognised standards, covering in particular taxation, advertising, labelling and protection from smoke.

In 2015, the prices of cigarettes sold by the state-monopoly Manufacture des Tabacs (MTT) rose significantly. A lever classically recommended in public health, price increases aim to curb consumption while feeding state revenue, in a sector where production and distribution remain largely controlled.

In 2018, the anti-smoking law was strengthened by extending the smoking ban to new public places. This tightening followed on from the commitments made under the FCTC and aimed to better protect non-smokers, while consolidating the partially enforced measures of previous years.

In 2023, further price increases affected cigarettes sold by MTT: Cristal exceeded 8 TND and Kent reached 9.5 TND. These adjustments, combining public-health objectives and fiscal-revenue needs, raised the cost of tobacco for consumers in a strained economic context.