BISAM's August 2025 Hunger and Poverty Line Report: Minimum Cost of Living at Record High!

ANKARA – The Class Research Center (BİSAM) of the Birleşik Metal-İş Union has published its “August 2025 Hunger and Poverty Line Report,” revealing the economic struggles of households in Turkey. According to the report, the hunger line for a family of four has risen to 26,149 TL, while the poverty line has reached 90,450 TL. These figures once again highlight the increasing difficulty of making ends meet in Turkey.

The report also calculated the poverty line for a single person at 42,234 TL. This striking data shows that the costs required for a minimum standard of living have reached record levels.

Detailed Analysis of the Figures

The report prepared by BİSAM provides a detailed breakdown of how much food expenditures weigh on a family budget. The minimum amount a family of four needs to spend for a healthy and balanced diet, which is the hunger line, was determined to be 26,149 TL. This amount represents only the compulsory minimum expenditure for basic food needs.

The poverty line, on the other hand, indicates the minimum cost of living for a family, including all mandatory expenses such as education, healthcare, housing, heating, and transportation. According to the calculations, a family needs a monthly income of 90,450 TL to live a humane life.

The report also detailed the food expenditure needs for each family member:

• Monthly food cost for an adult male: 7,347 TL

• For an adult female: 6,969 TL

• For a young person aged 15-18: 7,281 TL

• For a child aged 4-6: 4,553 TL

Highest Daily Cost: Fruits and Vegetables

An analysis of daily food expenditures for August 2025 showed that the highest cost was for fruits and vegetables, at 272 TL. This was followed by milk and dairy products at 219 TL per day, and the meat, chicken, and fish group at 164 TL. The report also noted that daily spending on bread should be 78 TL, while fats and oils require a daily expenditure of 43 TL.

Research Method and Scope

In preparing the report, BİSAM used the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) expenditure group indices, TÜİK’s 2003 item prices, and its own "Nutrition Pattern." Additionally, İstanbul Halk Ekmek prices were used as a reference for bread, and current online prices of chain supermarkets were used for fruits and vegetables. This methodology ensures that the data reflects current market conditions.

The report stated that calculations made with different revisions are not comparable and emphasized that this data, which is shared publicly every month, is an important indicator of the economic situation of workers and society in general.