Striking December report from Türk-İş: Hunger threshold announced

The Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş) has published its hunger and poverty threshold research for December 2025. According to the data released, the monthly food expenditure alone for a family of four has risen to 30,143 TL.

Don't leave your news choices to an algorithm - decide for yourself what you read. Add 12punto to your preferred sources!

Striking December report from Türk-İş: Hunger threshold announced

In the latest research shared with the public by Türk-İş, the impact of high inflation and rising living costs on household budgets was revealed with figures. Accordingly, the monthly food expenditure required for a family of four to have a healthy and balanced diet was calculated at 30,143 TL in December.

MINIMUM WAGE REMAINS BELOW THE HUNGER THRESHOLD

The research also included the gap between the minimum wage and the hunger threshold. It was stated that the 2026 minimum wage, determined as a result of a meeting that Türk-İş did not attend, remained 2,068 TL below the hunger threshold of 30,143 TL. In its statement, the confederation pointed out that the income level of employees is insufficient to cover basic food expenses.

POVERTY THRESHOLD EXCEEDS 98 THOUSAND TL

The report also included calculations for the poverty threshold, which includes mandatory expenses such as housing, electricity, water, transportation, education, and health, in addition to food expenditures. Accordingly, the monthly expenditure amount required for a family of four to maintain a decent standard of living has reached 98,188 TL.

LIVING COST FOR A SINGLE EMPLOYEE EXCEEDS 39 THOUSAND TL

In the Türk-İş data, the monthly cost of living for a single employee was also calculated. Accordingly, the monthly expenses of an employee living alone were determined to be 39,123 TL. It was noted that this amount is also well above the current minimum wage.

KITCHEN INFLATION REMAINS HIGH

The research also shared data regarding the change in food expenditures for a family of four living in Ankara. In December, kitchen inflation was calculated at 1.06 percent compared to the previous month. While the increase rate for the last 12 months was 42.97 percent, the annual average increase was recorded as 40.15 percent.

The data announced by Türk-İş revealed with figures that the increase in basic consumption expenditures continues and the decline in the purchasing power of wage earners persists.

News Source: 12punto