Turkish Smokers Fret About Latest Price Hikes

Cigarette prices in Turkiye increased by TRY3 ($0.9) on May 8, sparking lively discussion among smokers on social media, according to Xinhua.

The cheapest cigarette brands registered with the Monopoly Dealers’ Solidarity Association now cost TRY53 per pack, while the most expensive one is priced at TRY75 liras per pack, according to association president Erol Dundar.

“Though a three lira increase per pack might appear to be a small amount, it is not so for smokers,” said Yagmur Sivri, a resident of Istanbul, who smokes one and a half packs of cigarettes a day and spends about TRY2,500 on smoking each month.

“Considering that millions of people in Turkiye live on a minimum wage of 17,002 liras, the latest price hikes put a very large burden on their budgets,” she said.

The price hike aggravates Turkiye’s already rapidly increasing costs of living. The country’s  inflation hit 69.8 percent in April.