Türk-İş: Starvation Line 2,219 Lira, Poverty Line 7,229 Lira in January

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For a four-member family, the starvation line is 2,219 Turkish lira (1 US dollar = 5.95 lira) and the poverty line is 7,229 lira as of January 2020, according to the monthly survey by the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş).

"Starvation line" is the minimum amount of money a four-member family needs for healthy, balanced and sufficient nourishment. "Poverty line" is the total amount of a four-member family's compulsory expenditures, which includes housing, transportation, education and health and so on.

The monthly "living cost" of a single, childless person is 2,698 lira, the survey found. The minimum wage is 2,374 lira in Turkey.

Food price inflation is on the increase

While food prices increased by 10.49 percent compared to last year, the minimum food expenditures of a four-member family in the capital Ankara has increased by 2.62 percent since last month, according to the survey.

Prices of eggs, beef, legumes except chickpeas, fruits and vegetables have increased since last month.

The price increase in legumes caused a 45-lira monthly increase in a family's food expenditure.

The average kilogram price of the most commonly used fruits and vegetables increased from 5.46 lira to 5.87 lira. (HA/VK)