Türk-İş announces poverty line: Cost of living for a single worker exceeds minimum wage

Türk-İş has released its hunger and poverty line data for January 2024.

The monthly food expenditure required for a family of four living in Ankara to have a healthy, balanced, and adequate diet (the hunger line) has risen to 15,048 TL.

The total amount of monthly expenditures required for food, as well as clothing, housing (rent, electricity, water, fuel), transportation, education, health, and similar needs (the poverty line) has risen to 49,019 TL.

The 'cost of living' for a single worker has also risen to 19,630 TL per month.

Last month, the hunger line was announced as 14,431 TL, while the poverty line was announced as 47,009 TL. The 'cost of living' for a single worker was 18,796.36 TL per month.

Thus, while the hunger line increased by 617 lira in one month, the poverty line increased by 2,010 TL on a monthly basis.

INCREASE IN KITCHEN INFLATION

The increase in the minimum expenditure amount required for food for a family of four living in Ankara was 4.27 percent compared to the previous month. The rate of change over the last twelve months was 69.76 percent. The rate of change based on twelve-month averages was calculated as 79.44 percent.

According to the prices compiled directly from the market, which form the basis of the Türk-İş calculation, the changes observed in food products as of January 2024 by expenditure groups were as follows:

"As in the previous month, an increase was observed in meat prices this month. The highest increase in this group was observed in fish prices. An increase of 32 TL was seen in average fish prices. The price per kilogram of anchovies, which are the most consumed, rose to 120 TL.

Egg prices saw an increase of 0.20 kuruş due to year-end price adjustments. Chicken prices showed an increase of 5 TL compared to last month, with an average price per kg of 77 TL in markets.

A slight price increase was observed in the dry legumes group. The highest increase in this group occurred in green lentils. The price per kilogram of green lentils was 86 TL on average on market shelves.

It was determined that there was an increase of between 5 and 10 TL in the price per kilogram of vegetables preferred in the winter season, such as cabbage, spinach, leeks, broccoli, and celery. The only product in the fresh fruit and vegetable group whose price remained the same was determined to be potatoes.

On fruit stands, a slight decrease was observed only in the price of apples. An average increase of 3 TL was calculated for the prices of other remaining fruits this month.

Bread prices increased this month, and the price of a 200-gram loaf of bread in Ankara was set at 8 TL. Thus, an increase of 105 TL occurred in the monthly bread expenditure alone for a family of 4.

Olive oil, whose price remained stable last month compared to the previous month, was determined to be the product with the highest increase in this group this month, with an average increase of 30 TL per liter. Olive oil prices are sold at an average of 330 TL per liter in markets. Similarly, with the 17 TL increase seen in olive prices, black olives are on market shelves at an average of 225 TL, and green olives at an average of 190 TL.

Oilseeds (walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, and sunflower seeds) are sold at an average of 339 TL with an 8 percent increase in price per kilogram.

In the other food items group, the highest increase occurred in spices (cumin, mint, black pepper, etc.) with an average of 56 TL. A partial increase was determined in linden prices compared to last month, and an increase of 14.50 TL was detected in the price of molasses."