OREANDA-NEWS. April 07, 2011. According to the National Statistics Office, the rise in the living wage was due both to the growth of prices and changes in the structure of population’s consumer expenses, particularly, the increase in expenses for non-food goods and services.

The cost of the food basket of the living wage increased on average by 9%, the cost of the non-food basket increased by 11%. The living wage in towns in 2010 was 1,498.1 leis, in the rural area – 1,285.2 leis, resulting from the difference in the food basket composition and in the structure of expenses of households in the rural and urban localities.

The population of the capable of working age reported the maximum amount of the living wage – 1,453.1 leis, particularly, men – 1,536 leis. Pensioners’ living wage was 1,184.3 leis, making up 86.2% of the average living wage among all categories of the population.

The average amount of pensions in Moldova as of January 1, 2011 totaled 810.9 leis, up 4.6% from the previous year. This amount covers the living wage of pensioners at 68.5% against 75.8% a year earlier. The minimal living wage of children averaged 1,258.1 leis a month, varying depending on the child’s age between 498.8 leis for kids younger than one year old and 1,409.3 leis for children at the age of 7-16 years old.