Lahmacun price hikes race to a record in December: The gap between cities is widening
The price of lahmacun has become a veritable champion of price hikes following increases in recent months. According to the latest data released by Istanbul Economics Research, while significant price differences between cities and districts are striking, the cost of preparing lahmacun at home has also risen significantly. The index has once again brought to light the reflection of food inflation on dining tables.
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According to the research conducted, lahmacun prices across Turkey continued their climb in December 2025. According to the Lahmacun Index prepared by Istanbul Economics Research, the differences in prices between cities continue to be significant.
In December 2025, the average price of a lahmacun reached 136.3 TL. Prices increased by 2.34 percent compared to the previous month and by 32.24 percent throughout the year.
According to the index, the annual rate of increase in lahmacun prices slightly outpaced general consumer inflation.
While the annual increase recorded in the CPI for the same period was 30.89 percent, the restaurants and hotels group experienced a 34.1 percent increase, while the increase in food and non-alcoholic beverages remained behind other items at 28.3 percent.
While it was observed that the price hikes were not limited to specific days but spread throughout the month, the sudden increase experienced at the beginning of the year pointed to collective price updates.
In December, the highest rate of price increase exceeded 4.7 percent and was recorded in Ordu and Van. This rate reached 4 percent in Erzurum, 3.9 percent in Bursa, and 3.8 percent in Adana. While the average price increase in Istanbul was 3.2 percent, it was 1.5 percent in Ankara and 2.6 percent in Izmir. While prices rose in all cities, only Mardin experienced a decline of approximately 1.2 percent. While lahmacun was sold for around 85 TL in Van, this amount reached up to 293.3 TL in Adana.
The price difference between districts in Istanbul is also at a remarkable level. While the average price of a lahmacun in Sultanbeyli is 75.6 TL, it can go up to 180.3 TL in Beşiktaş. Underlying these differences are factors such as rent expenses according to the neighborhood, delivery service fees, platform commissions, and costs incurred in the region where the business is located.
Costs have also increased for those making lahmacun at home. While the cost of one portion of homemade lahmacun was 40 TL in November, it increased by 13.6 percent in December to 45.4 TL. In particular, the price of ground beef increased by 12.3 percent, green peppers by 82.2 percent, and onions by 59.1 percent. The share of these three products in the total cost approached 75 percent. Nevertheless, it was noted that the average price in restaurants is approximately three times higher than that of homemade lahmacun.