The monthly poverty threshold for a family of four reached 114,576 liras in May, exceeding the minimum wage by more than four times, according to the monthly Hunger and Poverty threshold Survey released by the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş).
The survey, which tracks living conditions in the capital Ankara, showed that the hunger threshold—the minimum monthly food expenditure required for a family of four to have a healthy, balanced, and adequate diet—rose to 35,174 liras. This amounts to 125% of the current minimum wage of 28,075 liras (1 US dollar = 45.90 Turkish liras).
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The cost of living for a single employee increased to 45,488 liras in May.
Living costs continue to increase
Türk-İş reported steady increases in these expenditures over the first five months of the year. In January, the hunger threshold was 31,224 liras, the poverty threshold was 101,706 liras, and the cost of living for a single worker was 40,541 liras. By April, those figures rose to 34,586 liras, 112,660 liras, and 44,802 liras, respectively.
The monthly food expenditure required for a family of four increased by 588 liras over the past month. The cumulative effect of monthly increases reached 3,950 liras in additional kitchen expenses for family budgets in the first five months of the year.
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The rise in living costs continues to negatively affect the living conditions of broad segments of society, particularly wage earners and retirees, Türk-İş said in its research report. The increase in food prices, which holds a significant share in basic necessity expenditures, increases the pressure on household budgets, the union added.
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Türk-İş also noted that the increase in kitchen expenses, which constitute a significant portion of expenditures for low-income and fixed-income segments, runs higher than the increase in general consumer prices.
Under current economic conditions where inflation maintains its high level, wage increases remain insufficient to cover price increases, leading to a decline in the purchasing power of workers, the report stated.
The union called for a broader approach to wage setting due to these economic strains.
"In this framework, determining wage incomes by considering only the realized inflation rate is not sufficient," Türk-İş stated. "In order to protect the purchasing power of workers and retirees, prevent the deterioration in income distribution, and contribute to the reduction of poverty, wage policies need to be handled in a broader social and economic framework." (HA/VK)
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TR