Consumer basket in September 58,117 denars; unions call to include rent
Economy and Labour Minister Besar Durmishi gave the September figure after an Economic and Social Council meeting; unions say housing costs must be counted.
The Ministry of Economy and Labour announced on 26 October 2026 that the consumer basket for a four-member household in September stood at 58,117 denars. Minister Besar Durmishi presented the figure after a meeting of the Economic and Social Council, noting a small month-on-month drop but a rise compared with January.
According to the ministry, the September basket is 358 denars lower than in August but 1,736 denars higher than in January — an increase of 3.1 percent since the start of the year. Minister Durmishi stressed the ministry’s approach to producing a transparent, verifiable statistic.
"Our goal is not to show a lower number, but to provide a verifiable, transparent and statistically based picture of household costs. For September 2026, the Ministry's average consumer basket amounts to 58,117 denars for a four-member household. It is reduced by 358 denars, or by 0.6 percent compared to August. But, compared to January, it has increased by 1,736 denars, or by 3.1 percent. We are closely monitoring short-term movements and the pressure on family budgets," Durmishi said.
How the ministry calculates the basket
The ministry's calculation covers 11 categories and 101 food items. It draws on data from the State Statistical Office for eight cities, price checks at 23 fruit and vegetable markets, and prices from five major and three regional retail chains. Durmishi said these sources are intended to ensure a statistically grounded overview.
Durmishi also reported that routine inspections by the State Market Inspectorate have not found increases in retail margins that would require intervention. He added that inflation currently stands at 2.7 percent and that the government would consider stepping in again via excises and taxes if diesel prices rose sharply.
Trade unions argued that the official basket still omits key housing costs. Marjan Risteski, president of the Confederation of Trade Union Organizations of Macedonia (KSOM), said rent should be included in the calculation.
"Especially when we talk about rents and housing, the situation for young people is very difficult. Today it is increasingly hard to obtain one's own apartment and concrete steps are needed to overcome this problem," Risteski said.
Separately, the Federation of Trade Unions (SSM) calculates a syndical minimum basket for October 2026 at 70,358 denars, up 926 denars from September. SSM’s breakdown shows food and beverages for a four-member family cost 26,170 denars — 124 denars more than the minimum wage of 26,046 denars. According to SSM, the syndical minimum basket rose by 3,945 denars compared with January 2026, when it was 66,413 denars.
Photo: press material from the event
