BES-AR Report Announced: Minimum Wage Earners' Income Can't Even Feed Them

Ankara – The Office Workers' Union Research Center (BES-AR) has once again revealed Turkey's economic realities by publishing its July 2025 hunger and poverty line data. According to calculations based on food item prices, the monthly expenditure a family of four public servants must make for a healthy diet has risen to 35,712 liras. The report highlights that high inflation and the high cost of living have made it impossible for workers to even meet their basic needs.

Minimum Wage Falls Far Below the Hunger Threshold

BES-AR's most striking finding is that the minimum wage, set at 22,104 liras for 2025, remains a full 61.57% below the hunger threshold of 35,712 liras. These figures show that millions of minimum wage earners in Turkey cannot even meet their basic food needs and are working for "just enough to fill their stomachs". The report adds that the daily cost of a healthy diet has exceeded 1,190 liras, once again demonstrating the gravity of the situation.

Housing Problem Hits Public Employees

The report not only addresses food expenditures but also covers basic needs like housing, revealing the drama experienced by public employees. According to BES-AR data, public employees working in major cities are forced to spend almost 75-80% of their salary on rent to meet their housing needs. This situation forces employees into living arrangements like student housing, with 3 to 5 people living together, pushing them away from dignified living conditions.

Poverty Threshold Reaches 85,969 Liras

The poverty threshold, which is the total of essential monthly expenditures for food, clothing, housing, transportation, education, health, and similar needs, reached 85,969 liras as of July 2025. This figure clearly shows how much a public servant's family income needs to be to escape poverty. The report's change rates also highlight the extent of inflation:

• Change from the previous month: Hunger Threshold: 1.30%; Poverty Threshold: 0.98%; Cost of Living: 2.90%.

• Annual (compared to July 2024) Change: Hunger Threshold: 35.27%; Poverty Threshold: 19.07%; Cost of Living: 76.43%.

At the end of its report, the Office Workers' Union reiterated its insistence on the demand for a dignified wage for all public employees, minimum wage earners, and pensioners, calling for a fair income distribution.