SSM: For one year average monthly costs of a four‑member household rose by €70, union basket 69,432 denars

Average monthly expenses for a four-member household in North Macedonia rose by €70 over the past year, and the trade-union consumer basket for September amounts to 69,432 denars, the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) calculated.

Since the start of the year the union basket has increased by more than 3,000 denars, and compared with last month costs rose by almost 760 denars. The SSM says the largest upward pressure comes from food and beverages, clothing and footwear, and transport.

Food takes the largest share of household spending

“In just one year the required minimum monthly budget has increased by 4,355 denars. What does that mean? It means that the citizen, the worker, is becoming poorer and poorer because prices are rising and wages do not follow that inflation or the increase in the prices of goods. We sometimes look, or as a measure we take only that item which is food, which is still not so small because a minimum wage very hardly covers food alone,” says Ljupcho Radovski, member of the SSM presidency.

According to the union's calculations, food and non-alcoholic drinks account for 36.4% of a household's monthly outlays — roughly double the European share, where households spend around 16% of their budget on food and beverages.

The SSM warned that continuous monthly price rises put additional strain on family budgets and said current wages and pensions are insufficient to maintain living standards. “The Economic and Social Council must sit down and examine more seriously the issues around citizens' living standards and adopt appropriate measures,” Radovski added, urging concrete steps to ensure a four-member family can cope.

Opposition SDSM called on the government to back its proposal to raise the minimum wage to €600. “That is the least they can do for the people, for the workers, for the families whose only income is the minimum wage because, due to huge expenses, people simply cannot make ends meet. Besides demanding that the minimum wage be raised to €600, it is necessary to support companies, private businesses, so that the increase does not become an additional burden on owners by subsidizing the contributions for that part of raising wages,” said Venko Filipche.

The ruling VMRO‑DPMNE replied: “SDSM oppose everything that means economic development, but want higher wages.” The party also argued that the government's own average basket is about 10% cheaper than the union's calculation.

The government has several measures intended to help households, including a cheaper “school basket” for school supplies, reduced excise duties and a preferential tax rate for fuels of 10% instead of 18%.

SSM notes that if rent or a mortgage repayment is added, the union basket reaches almost €1,400. The minimum wage stands at just above €420, while the average wage is nearly €790 — indicating that, for families not living in owned housing, covering basic needs requires the equivalent of almost two average salaries.

Photo: press material from the event