Poverty and hunger thresholds announced: 80% of salary goes towards rent

In 2026, under the shadow of economic data and the high cost of living, the struggle for survival among low and middle-income groups is intensifying. The latest report from the BES Research Centre reveals the loss in purchasing power among minimum wage earners and public sector workers with striking figures.

POVERTY LINE EXCEEDS 40,000 LIRA

According to calculations based on food prices, the minimum monthly expenditure required for a family of four public sector employees to maintain a healthy and balanced diet (poverty line) has been determined to be 40,294 TL.

MINIMUM WAGE IS NOT ENOUGH TO ‘FEED ONE'S STOMACH’

The daily cost of healthy nutrition has exceeded 1,343 TL.

The monthly cost of living for a single worker has risen to 65,038 TL.

The report highlighted the gap between the minimum wage set for 2026 at 28,075 TL and the poverty line. The current minimum wage is 43.52% below the poverty line of 40,294 TL, showing that it cannot even meet a worker's basic food needs. The union warned that with this situation, minimum wage earners are ‘only trying to feed themselves.’

Rent increases in metropolitan cities are forcing public sector workers into a compulsory ‘shared living’ model. An analysis by BES made the following observations regarding the housing crisis:

Public sector workers have to allocate 75 to 80 per cent of their salaries to housing costs in order to live in major cities.

It was emphasised that high rents force civil servants to live in shared homes, similar to ‘student houses,’ in groups of three or five.

Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Açlık ve yoksulluk sınırı açıklandı: Maaşın yüzde 80'i kiraya gidiyor, published in BirGün newspaper on January 16, 2026.