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The cost of basic living in Türkiye continued to rise in March, with the minimum monthly food expenditure for a family of four reaching ₺32,793 ($737.26), marking a 1.32% increase from the previous month, the country’s largest labor union, Turk-Is, reported on Tuesday.
The monthly increase points to easing pressure compared to the first two months of 2026, when food prices rose 3.6% in January and 3.7% in February as poor weather conditions affected supply. The cumulative increase in the first three months of 2026 reached 8.78%, while food prices rose 38.86% year over year, the union said.
However, the gap between the minimum wage, set at ₺28,075 for 2026, and the hunger threshold widened to ₺4,718 ($106.07), indicating that minimum wage income falls short of covering basic food needs by about 14.4%.
According to the report, price movements were mainly driven by fresh produce. The average vegetable price reached ₺132.21 ($2.97) per kilogram, while the average fruit price stood at ₺97.50, bringing the combined average to ₺105.37.
In protein products, minced and cubed beef prices remained stable, while lamb prices increased. Chicken prices also rose on a monthly basis, while fish prices declined. Egg prices continued to fluctuate and legumes recorded slight increases.
On the other hand, the poverty line, which includes total spending on essential needs such as housing, transportation, clothing, education and healthcare, climbed to ₺106,817 for a four-person household. The monthly cost of living for a single worker reached ₺42,585 in March, highlighting continued pressure on individual incomes as well.
The sustained increase in both the hunger and poverty thresholds reflects continued upward pressure on inflation in Türkiye. According to official data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), annual inflation rose to 31.5% in February, driven in part by higher food prices.
Monthly inflation stood at 4.8% in January and 3% in February, while food inflation was recorded at 6.6% and 6.9%, respectively.
March inflation figures are set to be released on Friday, April 3, with market expectations ranging between 2.2% and 2.5%.
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