11,315‑denar gap between Ministry and SSM consumption baskets for September 2026

There is an 11,315‑denar difference between the consumption basket published by the Ministry of Economy and Labour and the basket calculated by the Union of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) for September 2026. The Ministry reported an average consumption basket of 58,117 denars, while SSM’s minimal basket reached 69,432 denars — about 19.5 percent higher than the ministry figure.

Different methodologies produce divergent totals and month-to-month trends

The two institutions also reported opposite month-to-month movements for September. The Ministry’s calculation shows a decrease of 358 denars (0.6 percent) compared with August, whereas SSM’s minimal basket rose by 757 denars over the same period. The divergence stems from different approaches: the Ministry estimates an average basket, while SSM publishes a minimal-cost basket.

SSM’s breakdown for September shows how costs are distributed by category: food and beverages account for 25,259 denars (36.4 percent of total), education 7,192 denars, clothing and footwear 6,799 denars, housing and utilities 6,379 denars, and transport 5,409 denars. For a four-member household living in a rented 60 m2 apartment, SSM’s basket rises to 84,807 denars.

The Ministry says its methodology covers 11 expense categories and 101 food items and is based on data from the State Statistical Office for eight cities, prices from 23 markets, and information from five large and three regional retail chains. However, the ministry’s public statement gave only the overall basket value and general methodological notes; it did not publish a detailed financial distribution by category, which prevents precise reconciliation of the two totals.

The Ministry of Economy and Labour has said that the consumption basket and its methodology must go through government procedure before they are officially published. Minister Besar Durmishi told the Economic‑Social Council on October 26 that the aim of the new methodology is to provide a transparent, statistically grounded picture of household costs, and he noted that the largest differences between the calculations appear in food, clothing, education and housing — while in some categories the ministry’s values are higher.

Meanwhile, SSM has already released October figures: the union’s minimal basket for October reached 70,358 denars, an increase of 926 denars month‑on‑month. Food and beverages rose from 25,259 to 26,170 denars (an increase of 911 denars). For households renting their home, the October total is 85,733 denars. Until the ministry publishes its full category breakdown, comparisons will rely largely on SSM’s detailed category data and the ministry’s aggregate figure.

Photo: press material from the event