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The minimum food expenditure needed for a family of four to maintain a healthy and balanced diet—referred to as the "hunger threshold"—stood at ₺27,970 ($672.64) in September, the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Turk-Is) reported on Tuesday.
The amount continues to rise above the minimum wage of ₺22,104 ($531.57), with the minimum wage now standing 21% below this level.
The total cost of essential expenses, including food, clothing, housing, transportation, education, and health care, known as the "poverty threshold," was calculated at ₺91,109 ($2,474). The gap between this figure and the current monthly minimum wage—standing 75.8% below the poverty threshold—amounted to ₺69,005 ($1,873) in September.
For a single worker, the monthly "living cost" was measured at ₺36,305 ($873.17). The gap between this figure and the current monthly minimum wage—standing 39.31% lower—widened to ₺14,201 ($341.55) by the ninth month of the year.
"The gap between the income earned and the level of expenditure required to sustain a minimum standard of living consistent with human dignity continued to widen this month," the confederation stated. "This gap, affecting both fixed-income workers and retirees, is making living conditions increasingly difficult."
According to the Turkish Trade Unions (Turk-Is), monthly food inflation was recorded at 3.17%, reaching 41.05% on annual basis.
It noted that while prices of milk, yogurt, and cheese remained stable, poultry costs continued to climb. The price of chicken rose by 12% in September, following a 20% increase over the previous two months, while lamb prices rose by 6%. Beef prices showed little change.
Eggs, which had already been rising due to school reopenings, increased by 14% in the month, bringing the total rise over the past two months to 26%. Prices of dry legumes also rose, with green lentils up 7% and red lentils up 8%.
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