Living Wages and Cost of Living in Armenia: A Data Collector’s Perspective
From bustling city markets to remote mountain villages, Living Wages data collection in Armenia depends on local expertise. WageIndicator speaks with Knar, a journalist and dedicated data collector based in Artashat, Armenia, near the capital Yerevan.
Knar
Through her work, Knar plays a key role in calculating Living Wages and Cost of Living estimates in Armenia, ensuring that Living Wages data reflects real life across all regions and not just urban centres.
Living Wages and Cost of Living Data Collection Across Armenia
For Knar, collecting data isn't just a job; it’s also essential to her journalism. Specialising in work and economy-related issues in Armenia, she uses the detailed research for WageIndicator to deepen her understanding of diverse towns, regional specificities, and the subtle economic shifts affecting Armenian citizens. “I mostly write about work and economy-related issues. In recent years, I’ve covered many regional stories and I’ve travelled a lot. Last year, I got my driver's license and a car, so I travel even more,” she explains.
Reaching Armenia’s Towns and Villages for Accurate Living Wages Data
Knar’s new mobility is very important as it enables her to also reach the remote, surrounding villages, ensuring that the data on the Cost of Living in Armenia is truly comprehensive for all regions. "Each town in Armenia can have up to 20 surrounding villages that are part of the city. In some regions, the villages are far away. But if I only go to Vanadzor, for example, and leave the villages out, I won't get the full picture in terms of Living Wages data collection across Armenia," she says.
How WageIndicator Collects Cost of Living Data in Armenia
The WageIndicator Cost of Living data collection process involves gathering precise prices for essentials such as: food, accommodation, transport, insurance and many other categories. To manage this challenge, Knar has developed a very efficient approach for her quarterly data collection. “Once I receive my assignment on which regions are necessary to include, I plan my trips and if possible, make contact with people I know from those towns. If it's far, I’ll stay one or two nights at a friend's place,” she says.
Markets, Bazaars, and House Visits: Collecting Prices Across Armenia
While the city centre and the suburbs can be very different, every town has a bazaar. This creates a space to operate. She visits markets, neighborhoods, and villages. She talks to people in the street or knocks on doors. In summer, people are more open to talking outside. In winter, she often visits homes because it is warmer. She always elaborates on why she’s there. “I tell them that I’m from WageIndicator, an international organisation that tries to understand wages, inflation, Living Wages and how they relate to each other. I explain to them that I’m measuring what people need, and that it will be beneficial in the long term since it’s also something that will affect them,” says Knar.
Challenges of Measuring Cost of Living and Living Wages in Armenia
Knar discovered that collecting precise Cost of Living data in Armenia presents unique hurdles. Challenges that go beyond the geographical ones. "People don't know much about insurance," Knar observes. "For example, those without health insurance don't regularly visit a doctor, so they can't accurately estimate medical expenses. Similarly, many don't know the local rent because they live with extended family or shared accommodation." This lack of direct financial experience requires skillful, patient questioning to uncover true household costs in different Armenian towns and villages.
How War, Inflation, and Border Changes Affect Living Costs in Armenia
Furthermore, the price landscape in Armenia is highly reactive. "When the war in Ukraine started, the price of bread instantly climbed due to the global wheat shortage. You can clearly see the cause and effect right here on the ground," Knar notes. The friction over the Armenian-Azerbaijan border, specifically focused on Nagorno-Karabakh, has also had a major impact. Although a brokered peace agreement was established in 2025, the impact remains visible. "We have had a war, and now the entire border with Azerbaijan is being demarcated," says Knar, highlighting the constant state of flux that impacts regional employment and cost of living. “As a data collector, my job allows me to research economic and work-related issues for my other job as a journalist. While my colleagues write about art or philosophy, I analyse fuel prices and how they fluctuate!”
References:
More info on work and Living Wages in Armenia can be found on: Wageindicator.org/hy-am
https://epress.am/en/2025/08/27/indian-workers-strike-in-ijevan.html
