Turkish poverty threshold reaches above 33,000 liras in April

Duvar English

Turkey's poverty threshold increased to 33,015 liras in April 2023, nearly four times the minimum wage (8,506 liras), data from the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş) showed.

The poverty line represents the amount required to feed a family of four adequately and healthfully, as well as to compensate for other essentials including clothing, rent, energy, water, transportation, education, and healthcare.

The hunger threshold, the amount of money needed to prevent a four-person family from being starved for an entire month, rose to 10,135 liras in April, once again surpassing the minimum wage.

Furthermore, the monthly cost of living of a single employee was 13,167 liras in April.

According to the survey of Türk-İş, the minimum amount of food expenditure for a family of four living in the capital Ankara rose by 5.67 percent on a monthly basis and 115.74 percent on an annual basis in April. 

Accordingly, milk and yogurt prices decreased in April. Fish prices increased by nine percent, lamb meat by 21 percent, beef by 25 percent, chicken by 11 percent and egg by three percent in one month. For the first time, the price of fish exceeded 140 liras, beef 300 liras, and lamb meat 350 liras on average.

In bazaars, the prices of green vegetables such as scallions and lettuce increased by 20 percent, and leek and cabbage increased by 15 percent in one month. With an increase of 40 percent, the price of one kilogram of onion reached up to 30 liras. 

Although the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) announced an annual inflation rate of 50.51% in March, ENAG Inflation Research Group, an independent institution set up in 2020 to track the country’s inflation, reported the inflation rate as 112.51%.