BİSAM Report: Türkiye’s Poverty Threshold Rises to 81,868 TL as Food Expenses Surge

The latest May 2025 data from BİSAM (Research Center of the United Metal Workers’ Union, affiliated with DİSK) paints a troubling picture for Turkish households. A family of four now needs 23,615 TL per month just to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. When adding essential expenses like housing, transportation, healthcare, and education, the poverty line has surged to 81,868 TL.

For individuals, the monthly poverty threshold has been calculated at 37,912 TL. This figure reflects the growing cost of living, particularly in urban areas where basic needs outpace stagnant income levels.

The report, based on data from TÜİK, Istanbul Halk Ekmek, and major retail chains, underlines a significant shift in food consumption costs. Fruits and vegetables now take the largest share of daily food spending at 211 TL, followed closely by dairy products (210 TL) and meat and meat products (161 TL). These three categories alone make up two-thirds of the minimum nutrition cost, straining low-income households the most.

BİSAM emphasized how this rapid inflation in essential goods undermines food security for millions whose earnings remain unchanged.

The breakdown of monthly food expenses by age and gender reveals the following:

• Adult male: 6,597 TL

• Adult female: 6,254 TL

• Teenagers (15–18): 6,610 TL

• Children (4–6): 4,155 TL

The steep rise in these essential consumption costs further highlights the widening gap between income and living expenses in Türkiye, deepening economic hardship for vulnerable families across the country.