Rakı in TRNC is Almost Four Times Cheaper Than in Turkey

The introduction of a special consumption tax (SCT) in Turkey has caused a significant increase in the prices of strong alcoholic beverages. A 0.7-liter bottle of locally produced rakı, the national drink, now costs 261 percent more than it does in the TRNC.

According to Turkish media, after the price hike, the cost of the anise-flavored drink soared to 925 lira. In comparison, the price of the same bottle in Northern Cyprus is 255.90 lira.

The price increase on alcoholic and tobacco products in Turkey occurred after the announcement of inflation data for the past six months. Following a 19.49% increase in the SCT, which corresponds to six months of producer inflation, alcohol brands added their own price increases to the SCT hike.

One of the most discussed topics has been the price difference between Turkey and Northern Cyprus. Posts comparing prices have started appearing on the platform X.

Tax experts have calculated that the SCT on rakı increased from 334.72 TL to 399.96 TL, the VAT amount rose from 116.50 TL to 142.21 TL, and the total tax amount increased from 451.22 TL to 542.17 TL.

Thus, the price of a 0.7-liter bottle of rakı, which was approximately 699 TL at the beginning of the year and increased to 775 TL in April, now costs 925 lira.