Tuvalu: cost of living
3 answers, 3 from Tuvalu's own official bodies, with a link to each figure.
What is the inflation rate in Tuvalu?
Consumer prices in Tuvalu were 3.7% higher in the second quarter of 2026 than a year earlier, according to the Central Statistics Division's consumer price index release (11 September 2026). Prices rose 1.5% in the quarter, and average inflation over July 2025 to June 2026 was 3.8%.
Annual inflation was 1.8% in the first quarter of 2026. The release names food and housing as the main drivers, with transport prices up 8.5% over the year. Prices are collected each quarter from retail outlets in Funafuti, and the weights come from the 2015–16 household survey (November 2019 = 1000). The next release, for the third quarter, is due on 30 October 2026.
What is the average household income in Tuvalu?
The average household income in Tuvalu was A$27,526 a year in 2022, and the median A$22,176, according to the Central Statistics Division's 2022 Household Income and Expenditure Survey report. Average household spending was A$29,383, with a median of A$24,428.
73% of household income was cash, and 18% came from rents, including the imputed value of owner-occupied homes. Food and non-alcoholic drinks took 34% of consumption spending and housing 26%. Monthly household income averaged A$2,878 in urban Funafuti and A$1,595 in the outer islands. The survey was run alongside the 2022 census as a "long form census".
What help is there with the cost of living in Tuvalu?
Tuvalu's Household Cost of Living Support Scheme pays A$50 per eligible household member a month to households with an average income below A$300 per person a month, according to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. It has been extended from September to November 2026.
The first three-month phase reached 1,099 households and 5,858 people, with more than A$290,000 paid. The ministry links the scheme to higher fuel, food and freight prices from the fuel crisis tied to conflict in the Middle East. The 2026–27 budget also includes about A$3.5 million in fuel subsidies to the Tuvalu Electricity Corporation and says the Price Control Board is reviewing price drivers such as fuel, shipping and imports.
Official bodies in Tuvalu
- Central Statistics Division
- Pacific Data Hub (Pacific Community)
- Ministry of Finance and Economic DevelopmentPrepares and publishes the national budget, including revenue, spending, trust fund and public debt figures, and runs cost-of-living support schemes.
More about Tuvalu
- Economy
- Jobs and pay
- Public finances
- Health and care
- Housing
- Crime and justice
- Immigration
- Education
- Environment
Read on 14 October 2026. Definitions · Report an error