Syrian Center for Policy Research:
The bulletin provides an independent assessment of consumer prices and the rate of inflation in all Syrian regions, based on a monthly survey of consumer prices carried out by the Syrian Center for Policy Research (SCPR) since October 2020. The SCPR had developed a methodology for building a price index based on components of consumer basket, weighting, and market selection (See SCPR’s Consumer Price Index in Syria)
This bulletin presents the findings of the monthly consumer price survey and the changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for October 2023 (with 2021 as the base year) broken down by region and the major consumption groups. Based on the CPI changes, the bulletin provides an estimate of the cost of living and poverty lines at the local level in all Syrian regions.
The following results are highlighted:
- In October 2023, the general CPI achieved annual inflation (Y-o-Y) of 148.5 per cent and monthly inflation (M-o-M) of 3.9 per cent.
- In October 2023, the governorate of Damascus marked the highest monthly inflation rate, at 10.8 per cent, followed by Rural Damascus and Idleb Governorates, at 6.6 per cent and 6.5 per cent each. The governorates of Quneitra, Al-Hasakeh, Homs, Aleppo, and Ar-Raqqa recorded the lowest monthly inflation rate between 1.7 and 2.2 per cent.
- In October 2023, the Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel oils group contributed significantly to the monthly inflation (M-o-M) with 3.9 per cent, making up 36.7 per cent of the total, followed by the Food and non-alcoholic beverages group with a contribution of 35.4 per cent, trailed by the Education group at 10.2 per cent, then by the Clothes and Shoes group at 9.3 per cent.
- The inflation of October 2023 led to a decrease in the real wages of workers in the public sector in GoS areas by 4.51 per cent, 2.3 per cent in the civil sector, and 1.7 per cent in the private sector compared to September 2023. On the other hand, the inflation of October 2023 led to a decrease in the real wages for workers in departments affiliated with the SIG and SSG areas by 2.2 per cent and wages for workers in AA departments by 1.65 per cent compared to the previous September.
- In October 2023, the abject poverty line for families, serving as an indicator of food insecurity, rose to SYP 2.16 million per month, marking an increase of SYP 62 thousand from September 2023. The lower poverty line increased by SYP 98 thousand from the previous month to reach 3.39 million, while the upper poverty line saw an SYP 135 thousand increase, reaching 4.68 million.
- In October 2023, the wage gap from the upper poverty line reached 89 per cent for university-educated employees in the public sector, 61.1 per cent for private sector workers, and 58.7 per cent for civil society workers. In all three instances.
To read the bulletin in English:
Monthly Bulletin – Issue (10), 2023 (En)
To read the bulletin in Arabic:
Monthly Bulletin – Issue (10), 2023 (Ar)
