Türkiye’s minimum wage raised to $655 by 27%

Türkiye’s Minister of Labor and Social Security, Dr. Vedat Işıkhan, announced that the country’s minimum wage will increase from January 1, 2026, by 27% to reach 28,075 Turkish liras, equivalent to about $655.

The announcement followed the third meeting of the Minimum Wage Committee, which includes representatives of workers, employers and the government.

The Turkish minister explained that this increase reflects the state’s commitment to protecting workers from the effects of inflation, stressing that the government will continue to support citizens and employers through its various institutions.

The minimum wage in Türkiye was previously 22,104 Turkish liras, which means that the new increase represents a significant jump compared to last year, and Işıkhan noted that wages have increased since 2002 by 171 times, in real terms, by 251%.

For his part, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek revealed that the annual inflation rate in November 2025 fell to 31.07%, the lowest level in four years.

Monthly inflation also fell to 0.87%, the lowest rate in two and a half years.

Food prices, which rose between August and October, returned to their normal levels in November, Şimşek said, noting that economic indicators improved by more than 44 percentage points compared to May 2024.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.87% month-on-month in November, while the Domestic Producer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.84%.

Thus, the annual inflation in consumer prices reached 31.07%, while the inflation in the prices of domestic producers was recorded at 27.23%.

The inflation rate in October reached 2.55% on a monthly basis, raising the annual index to 32.87%, while the annual inflation rate at the end of 2024 reached 44.38%.