[OC] Greece’s minimum-wage income rose 45%, but its gyro-buying power fell 29.4% (2019–2026, modelled)

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galaxycarpet

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  1. How many gyro wraps does a minimum wage buy?

    This chart uses the Gyronomics model to compare minimum-wage income in Greece with the price of a common-reference gyro wrap.

    Between 2019 and the provisional 2026 figures, the wage measure rises by 45.0%, while the comparable gyro price rises by 105.3%. That takes purchasing power from roughly 308 to 218 classic-equivalent wraps per month: a 29.4% decrease.

    The underlying figures:

    2019: €637.76/month ÷ €2.07 per classic-equivalent wrap ≈ 308 wraps.

    2026*: €924.46/month ÷ €4.25 per classic-equivalent wrap ≈ 218 wraps.

    A few important qualifications:

    • The wage measure is annual income divided by 12, including bonuses and holiday pay, AFTER employee contributions but BEFORE income tax. It is not the amount of a single monthly payslip.

    • “Classic-equivalent” means prices are adjusted using assumptions about portion size and composition. The 2019 reference price for the wrap sold at the time is €2.30; the model rescales it to €2.07. That adjusted figure is not another observed menu price, and the series is not a directly measured nationwide average or a same-shop price comparison.

    • 2026 is provisional, and historical payroll assumptions remain under review. This measures affordability of one product, not overall living costs or the purchasing power of the average worker.

    The percentage change is calculated before rounding the wrap counts. The top chart connects the two endpoints; it does not show the year-by-year path.

    Sources and methodology:

    English book, with tables, sources and limitations:

    [https://gyronomics.gr/book/gyronomics-book-en.pdf](https://gyronomics.gr/book/gyronomics-book-en.pdf)

    Interactive website:

    [https://gyronomics.gr/en](https://gyronomics.gr/en)

    This comparison is explained on pages 142–143 of the 19 September 2026 book edition. Dataset: 2026.09.19-book.

    Tools: Python (Matplotlib) for the reference plot; ChatGPT image generation for the final infographic.

    Feedback on the comparison and its assumptions is welcome.

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