A street vendor’s simit cart stands in front of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Türkiye. (Adobe Stock Photo)
September 05, 2025 04:00 AM GMT+03:00
The cost of living in Istanbul for a family of four surged to ₺98,735 ($2,393) in August, marking a 43.2% increase year-over-year, the Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA) reported on Thursday.
Compared to the previous month, average living expenses rose by ₺2,136 ($51.78) or 2.2%.
More to Read
Living costs in Türkiye outpace wages, inflation
Rising food, housing, transportation, and energy expenses were the main factors behind this increase.
The new amount corresponds to 4.5 times Türkiye’s minimum monthly wage of ₺22,104 ($535.83), and the rate of change continues to exceed both nationwide and Istanbul inflation levels, which stood at 32.9% and 40.9%, respectively.
According to the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Turk-Is), the hunger threshold—covering only the basic food needs of a family of four—rose to ₺27,111 nationwide. The poverty line, which accounts for all essential needs, was recorded at ₺88,310.
The cost of living for a single worker also climbed to ₺34,981.
A street vendor sells cooked corn to a customer in Istanbul, Türkiye. (Adobe Stock Photo)
Istanbul emerges among world’s costliest cities
Istanbul, the largest city in Europe, is home to over 16 million Turkish citizens and more than 500,000 expatriates, according to official figures.
The metropolitan city has experienced a record surge in living costs in recent years due to persistently high inflation, placing it among the leading cities in the world in terms of price hikes, according to a report by German lender Deutsche Bank.
September 05, 2025 04:00 AM GMT+03:00
