As poverty and the economic crisis continue to deepen in Turkey, official data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute indicating a decline in inflation rates are not accepted by the public. Despite the reported decrease in official figures, citizens say they are facing greater difficulties in accessing basic food and essential needs, especially as the country entered 2026 with new price hikes.
Reacting to the increase in market and bazaar prices even before any raise in the minimum wage, citizens said they entered the month of Ramadan with empty refrigerators. Struggling to afford even the most basic food products such as olives and cheese, many have begun purchasing these items on credit.
According to official data, annual inflation in 2025 fell to around 30.9 percent, based on figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute. Although this represents a slight decline compared to previous months, it shows that price increases remain at high levels. Basic expenditures such as food and housing continued to be the main drivers of inflation, placing sustained pressure on household budgets.
In terms of the cost of living, increases continued throughout 2025. According to data from the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Turk-Iş), in the final months of 2025 the poverty threshold for a family of four rose to around 97,000–98,000 Turkish liras, while the hunger threshold was calculated at approximately 29,000–30,000 Turkish liras. These figures revealed that the current minimum wage is insufficient to cover the expenses of many low-income families.
With the arrival of Ramadan, residents living in the city center of Diyarbakir (Amed) as well as those coming from surrounding villages flocked to the cheese and olive markets. Citizens seeking to buy cheese and olives, two staple foods for both pre-dawn meals and iftar (the fast-breaking meal at sunset), were confronted with high prices.
Due to rising milk prices, both vendors and customers are struggling economically. Shopkeepers said they are unable to make sales despite lowering their prices. Citizens noted that amid the rising cost of living, even bread and cheese have become a luxury.
No one can buy anything even though we lowered prices
Shopkeepers and residents at the Cheesemongers’ Bazaar in the Sur district of Diyarbakir spoke to ANF about their economic hardships and called for urgent steps to stop the deepening crisis.
Davut Kaya, who has been a shopkeeper at the Cheesemongers’ Bazaar for twenty years, said that both purchasing power and sales have fallen sharply compared to previous years. He said that people can no longer buy products, regardless of whether prices are considered high or low, and continued: “Before Ramadan in previous years, we used to sell around 500 kilograms of cheese. Now we can barely sell 50 to 60 kilograms. Because of the high cost of living, neither can we sell our products nor can people afford to buy them. Before this Ramadan, we lowered our prices and even sold at a loss, but despite that, we could not sell our products. Why? Because people cannot afford them. The state of the minimum wage is obvious; unfortunately, people cannot buy anything. Compared to previous years, the situation is much worse. Every year, as prices keep rising, people’s refrigerators are becoming emptier and emptier.”
Kaya also said: “These two products used to be the cheapest items, but now people cannot even eat cheese anymore. It would not be an exaggeration to say that people are going to bed hungry this Ramadan. Those who are left with no choice come and buy cheese either with a credit card or on credit. In this situation, both we and the buyers are suffering losses. People no longer have any purchasing power left; there is nothing left. This crisis has devastated everyone.”
We go back home empty-handed
Nure Ulaş, who said she had come to the bazaar to shop but would return home empty-handed, said: “Everything is very expensive. We come from the village and go back home without buying anything. Things were better in the past, but now we cannot buy anything. Those who do not have money go hungry. The situation of poor people was always difficult, but in recent years they have become even poorer.
In the past, we could at least buy bread and cheese, but now even that is no longer possible. People go to bed hungry and wake up hungry. We do not know how long this will continue, but people are no longer even rebelling. There is nothing left to say. If even two olives and a piece of cheese cannot pass our throats, there is nothing left to say about that either.”
People are buying cheese on credit
Sheyhmus Ilan, a shopkeeper who has been in the bazaar for fifty years, said that shops are closing one by one and that people are forced to buy even cheese either on credit or with credit cards due to financial hardship.
Ilan said: “I have been a shopkeeper for fifty years. For many years now, people have been in misery; there is no purchasing power at all. People come and buy cheese and olives with cards. Those who have money buy, but those who do not ask the price and leave. There are very few people who actually have money. It is not only cheese; everything here is expensive. Rents, flour, oil, and water, everything is expensive. This process needs to be improved. People’s purchasing power needs to improve so that we can make sales. In the past, a sack of bran cost 10 Turkish liras; now we sell it for 100 Turkish liras. Because of this crisis, dozens of shops have closed here. No one asks about our situation or the situation of the people.”
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