Cost of living increases 9.9% in July in north

The north’s cost of living increased by 9.9 per cent in the month of July, according to figures released by its statistics office.

The figures, calculated in Turkish Lira, work out the cost of living based on regular purchases. They show the cost of living to be a whopping 46.5 per cent higher than in December, and 72.8 per cent higher than July last year.

The statistics showed that public spending on healthcare, housing and transportation all increased by more than 15 per cent in July, while spending in the communications sector increased by 10 per cent.

Of the more than 600 items included in the calculations, 572 saw their prices increase. The most extreme rises were seen on the price of cabbage, which went up by 112.5 per cent, and of pumpkins, which went up by 90.9 per cent.

On the other side of the scale, the price of okra decreased by 51.1 per cent, and the price of aubergines decreased by 46.7 per cent over the course of the month.