Hunger threshold rises to nearly $640 in Türkiye: Turk-Is
Empty money in wallet, concept money deficit, money is not enough , Unemployment, poverty
The hunger threshold in Türkiye rose to ₺23,323 ($638.72) in February, representing the minimum monthly food expenditure required for a healthy, balanced, and adequate diet for a family of four living in Ankara, the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Turk-Is) reported Friday.
According to Turk-Is data, “kitchen inflation” in February 2025 led to a 5.39% increase in the minimum food expenditure required for a family of four in Ankara compared to the previous month. While the annual change rate reached 43.47%, the average annual increase stood at 57.73%.
The total monthly expenditure required to cover food, clothing, housing, transportation, education, health, and other essential needs—the poverty line—rose to ₺75,973.49. Meanwhile, the “cost of living” for a single worker increased to ₺30,206.24 per month.
‘Living conditions must improve’
In its assessment of the hunger and poverty thresholds, Turk-Is emphasized that living conditions for low- and fixed-income citizens continue to deteriorate.
“The purchasing power of workers is declining every day, forcing them to cut back even on food expenses. The minimum amount a family of four must spend solely on food now exceeds the net minimum wage,” the confederation stated.
“The gap between mandatory expenses and income for wage earners and retirees, who make up the majority of society, must be closed, and living conditions must be improved.”
The minimum wage in Türkiye for 2025 had been set at ₺22,104 in December 2024, affecting over 17 million workers.
