30–50K Earners Can’t Afford Food, Rent, or Transport: AKP Report

A recent study commissioned by the ruling AK Party has shed light on the growing financial strain facing Turkish citizens who earn between 30,000 and 50,000 lira per month. Contrary to assumptions that this income bracket secures stability, the research reveals that these households are under significant pressure from three unavoidable expenses: food, rent, and transportation.

The report emphasizes that families are finding it increasingly difficult to balance monthly budgets, with many dipping into future wages just to cover essential needs. Particularly for parents with school-age children, the financial stress is magnified by education costs, often forcing them to borrow from the next month’s paycheck to cover tuition and school-related expenses.

Inflation’s Daily Reality: From Fuel Pumps to Grocery Stores

The study arrives amid a cascade of price hikes. Fuel costs are once again on the rise, with a new increase set to take effect on Saturday, making commuting and transportation even more expensive. In parallel, Istanbul residents are already coping with a new wave of public transport fare increases, compounding daily living costs.

Food prices tell a similar story of volatility. A July inflation report revealed that cherries topped the list of products with the highest price surge, while watermelons emerged as the rare case of cheaper produce. Yet, these small fluctuations cannot mask the broader trend: a sharp climb in grocery bills that is pushing even middle-income earners into financial distress.

Rent: The Relentless Climb

Housing costs remain at the heart of the crisis. Data from TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) confirmed that the ceiling for rental increases in September has been set, directly affecting thousands of tenants already stretched thin. In a startling comparison, Turkey’s annual rent increase rate of 66% has outpaced the OECD average nearly tenfold, underscoring the severity of the crisis.

The impact is particularly visible in Istanbul, where student enrollment season has triggered dramatic rent hikes. Differences of up to 41% in rental prices have been recorded within the same district, turning the search for housing into a near-impossible challenge for many families.

Searching for Solutions: The Role of the “Hal Law”

To address the escalating food crisis, policymakers are reviving the long-discussed “hal yasası” (wholesale market law). This legislation, which has been debated for years, is expected to be prioritized in Parliament once the new legislative term begins on October 1.

Party sources stress that the law must be enacted swiftly to stabilize fruit and vegetable prices. Climate change, which has intensified agricultural shocks such as frosts, is already threatening crop supply chains. Without immediate reform, experts warn that shortages and price spikes will become even more severe.

Government Initiatives: Housing and Beyond

On the housing front, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization has begun formulating measures to ease the rent crisis. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently announced a housing project for low-income citizens, which the government hopes will provide long-term relief by increasing affordable housing supply.

Meanwhile, proposed steps in food and transportation policy will require the approval of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, highlighting the complexity of coordinating economic responses across different government branches.

A Growing Sense of Urgency

The study ultimately paints a sobering picture: even households earning what might be considered stable wages are increasingly vulnerable in today’s Turkey. With rent, transportation, and food prices soaring well beyond inflation targets, middle-income earners are being squeezed in ways that threaten both financial security and quality of life.

The report calls for swift intervention, warning that without immediate structural reforms, the economic strain could deepen, widening inequality and undermining social stability.

As one line in the research starkly notes, the key to restoring citizens’ purchasing power lies in targeted action across these three critical areas. Unless measures like the hal law, affordable housing initiatives, and transport subsidies are implemented effectively, the crisis risks spiraling into a more entrenched cycle of hardship.