More than 2 Million; the Average Cost of Living for a Syrian Family at the Beginning of 2022.

To recall the method of calculation, starting from issue No. 1036, Kassioun has adopted a certain method in calculating the minimum cost of living of a Syrian family of 5. It consists of calculating the cost of the necessary food basket (according to the daily need per capita for about 2400 calories from various food sources. To that end, Kassioun has relied on calculating the main meal per capita during one day, which was drafted by the Innovation and Self-Reliance Conference of the General Confederation of Trade Unions in 1987, from which the productive citizen receives the calories that guarantee him life, and reproduce his or her workforce again). This is on the consideration that these costs of food represent 60% of the overall minimum cost of living of the family, whereas the remaining 40% represent the other essential needs of the family (housing, transportation, education, clothing, healthcare, household appliances, telecommunications, and others). 

An Increase by 8.2% in 3 Months Only

The average cost of living has increased by 152,776 Syrian pounds in December 2021 from the costs recorded last September, as it increased from 1,847,200 Syrian Pounds in September to 2,026,976 Syrian pounds in December. This means that it increased by 8.2% in 3 months only, while wages are still at meagre levels, as (even after its minimum has increased to 92,970 Syrian pounds) it only covers 4.5% of the average cost of living in December.  

An Exceptional Increase in Meat and Cheese Prices

The minimum cost of necessary food of a family of 5 has increased by 9.7% from the level that was recorded in September 2021, as it changed from 692,700 Syrian pounds for a family per month in September, to 760,120 Syrian pounds in December, according to the prices of these ingredients in local markets in the capital of Damascus. These increases have reached several ingredients, particularly meat (chicken and red meat), as the price of 7 grams of meat per capita per day has increased from 924 Syrian pounds in September to 1,837 Syrian pounds in December; up to 99%. This is also the case for sweets, as the price of 112 grams of sweets has increased by 50% in 3 months from 896 Syrian pounds to 1,344 Syrian pounds.
In the same vein, the prices of cheese have recorded a large increase during the same period, as the price of 2 grams of cheese has jumped from 212 Syrian pounds in September to 320 Syrian pounds in January, which means that it increase by more than 50%.

An Increase by 64% for other Needs

The minimum cost of other essential needs has also increased, which constitute 40% of the total costs of living (housing, transportation, education, clothing, healthcare, household appliances, telecommunications, and others). It increased from 461,800 Syrian pounds in September to 760,116 Syrian pounds in December; 64% in 3 months.

(Arabic version)