Food and Transportation Costs Set for 2025
According to new decisions published in the Official Gazette, there has been an increase in daily meal and transportation allowances for the year 2025. The daily meal allowance has been set at 240 TL, while the transportation fee is determined to be 126 TL. These new amounts aim to ease the financial burden on employees.
Tax exemptions have been expanded The general notifications from the Revenue Administration of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, which include many regulations such as the Inheritance and Transfer Tax Law, Motor Vehicle Tax, Fees, and Income Tax, were published in today's additional issue of the Official Gazette. It is noted that the 30% increase in the minimum wage has also been reflected in income tax and stamp tax exemptions. The exemption of the minimum wage from taxes provides a significant advantage for employees, and in 2025, employees will be exempt from 47,519.79 TL in income tax and stamp tax.
Daily meal allowance rises to 240 TL With the new regulation, the daily meal allowance exemption for employees has been raised from 170 TL to 240 TL. When considered on a monthly basis, this increase means employees will be able to allocate more budget for their meal expenses. Reducing the taxes on meal allowances aims to distribute the financial burden between employers and employees more equitably.
With this step, employees could receive a monthly meal allowance payment of 6,240 TL, which will remain tax-free. The expansion of tax exemptions enhances employers' flexibility regarding fringe benefits, potentially increasing employee motivation.
What is the daily transportation allowance? The daily transportation allowance has also seen an increase for 2025. Previously set at 88 TL, the daily transportation fee has been adjusted to 126 TL. Under this change, employees can receive a monthly transportation allowance payment of 3,276 TL, exempt from tax. Thus, the burden of daily transportation costs is reduced, placing employees in a more advantageous position for the new year.
The removal of the upper limit on the premium exemption for meal cards provided by the Social Security Institution (SGK) allows for an increase in additional benefits offered by employers to their employees. This situation, while forecasting a more comfortable financial year for employees, may also contribute to creating a more positive working environment in workplaces.