According to the United Metalworkers’ Union (Birleşik Metal-İş) Centre for Class Research, a household of four people need to spend $324 per month for basic healthy nutrition, which cannot be afforded even with minimum wage. The poverty line has become $1117. This includes education, health, shelter, heating, entertainment, and transport.
The starvation line has increased five times in the last seventeen years. In the same period, the increase in inflation is 4.7 times. Thus, the increase in the starvation line is bigger than inflation.
The calculation for the starvation line differs based on gender and age. For instance, an adult female should spend $2.71 per day, an adult male should spend $2.88, teenager aged 15-18 should spend $3.06, and minors aged 4-6 should spend $2.03.
According to the Union, dairy products constitute the most important item regarding its cost. Indeed, it constitutes 35.7% of overall spending on nutrition. Meat, poultry, and fish constitute the second item of the overall spending, and fruit and vegetables constitute the third item. In a narrower calculation, meat, egg, and legumes constitute the second important item with 28% of overall spending.
The starvation line is highest in Izmir, where it is $352. The starvation line in Istanbul has become $347, and in Ankara it has become $313. The starvation line for important industrial cities vary. The starvation line in Bursa, Eskişehir, and Bilecik is $331. It is $333 in Kocaeli, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu, and Yalova; $327 in Zonguldak, Bartın, and Karabük; $302 in Adana and Mersin. It is $289 in Gaziantep, Kilis, and Adıyaman; $296 in Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, and Osmaniye; $294 in Diyarbakır and Şanlıurfa, and $326 in Trabzon, Ordu, Rize, Artvin, Gümüşhane, and Giresun.
