Study: Electricity bills eat into Syrians’ food basket

A field study on the impact of the electricity crisis on living conditions in Syria revealed significant shifts in consumer behavior, showing that energy costs are no longer just a “bill,” but a direct factor cutting into spending on essential needs such as food and healthcare.

The study, conducted by the “Syria Polls” platform, showed a strong willingness among participants to shift toward alternative energy solutions, not as a luxury, but as an escape from soaring electricity prices, amid a wide gap between financial capacity and setup costs.

According to the study, the statistical reality based on its field sample calls for innovative financing solutions.

The study included 500 Syrian respondents, of whom only 201 completed the survey and having their responses approved after passing targeting and digital filtering tests, including browser fingerprinting and network verification, to ensure participants were responsible for managing household expenses and paying bills.

The 201 participants were surveyed about the electricity tariff increase and the solutions they adopted in response.

Participants said electricity bills now exceed other monthly household expenses, including heating, communications, education, and healthcare. Before the increase, bills ranged between 1,000 Syrian pounds and 200,000 Syrian pounds, but have now surpassed 3 million Syrian pounds.

Of the 201 respondents, 156 said the increase was unreasonable and out of line with living standards, expressing shock upon receiving their first bill after the tariff hike. Many reported difficulty paying and resorting to debt.

The study found that participants reduced the use of electrical appliances, including water heaters, heaters, cooking devices, and even lighting.

50% cut back on meals

Rising electricity costs have forced families to cut spending on other essentials, particularly food. Around 50% of participants said they reduced the number of meals and lowered both the quantity and quality of food to afford electricity bills.

They added that the situation has worsened their economic conditions and affected family relationships, leading to increased tensions.

Participants called on the Syrian government to reconsider electricity pricing in line with individual income levels.

Transparency in pricing among key recommendations

Based on participant data, the study recommends:

• Adopting accessible green financing to help households and small businesses acquire alternative energy systems
• Ensuring transparency in pricing structures to balance service costs with citizens’ purchasing power
• Improving quality standards by linking higher costs to better service stability and living conditions, reducing productivity losses

Digitizing public opinion

Tariq al-Hawari, founder of the “Syria Polls” platform, told Enab Baladi that the main motivation behind the study was the platform’s ability to digitize public opinion and transform spontaneous complaints into solid statistical data.

Through this study, the platform aimed to present a practical model demonstrating the ability to reach targeted social segments and apply digital quality and filtering standards to extract reliable responses, helping bridge information gaps in urgent service issues such as rising electricity prices, away from personal impressions or biases.

He said the platform seeks to provide “technically verified” material that can serve as a reference for any entity, whether governmental, international, or developmental, aiming to understand real market and public needs.

He added that when citizens’ suffering is translated into numbers and graphs, it becomes easier to develop accurate strategic plans that reflect reality and support evidence-based decision-making.

Al-Hawari noted that the platform attempted to contact relevant ministries during the study and provide them with interactive analytical dashboards but received no response.

He added that “Syria Polls” aims to serve as a technical partner supporting digital transformation and social development plans by providing accurate field data at lower costs compared to traditional studies.

Ongoing public debate

Electricity pricing continues to spark widespread debate in social and economic circles due to its direct impact on citizens’ lives and productive activity.

The division of electricity tariffs into tiers has triggered public controversy, with many citizens arguing that these tiers do not align with prevailing income levels or account for rising poverty rates among large segments of the population. They say the pricing mechanism fails to reflect living realities or meet minimum basic needs.

On October 30, 2025, the Syrian Ministry of Energy announced details of a decision to raise electricity prices across four tiers, stating it “takes into account social groups and varying consumption levels,” as part of a government plan to reform the electricity sector and improve services.

The sector is estimated to incur annual losses of $1 billion and faces major funding and infrastructure challenges across most regions, according to the ministry.

According to the ministry’s Facebook post, the pricing tiers are:

• First tier: 600 Syrian pounds per kilowatt-hour (about $0.05), up to 300 kilowatt-hours per two-month cycle, with 60% government subsidy
• Second tier: 1,400 Syrian pounds per kilowatt-hour (about $0.12), for middle- and high-income users and small projects exceeding 300 kilowatt-hours per two months
• Third tier: 1,700 Syrian pounds per kilowatt-hour (about $0.14), for entities exempt from power rationing, such as government institutions, companies, and factories requiring continuous electricity
• Fourth tier: 1,800 Syrian pounds per kilowatt-hour (about $0.15), for heavy industrial consumption such as smelting plants

Contradiction between justification and outcomes

Economic expert and university professor at Hama University, Abdul Rahman Mohammad, said the economic reading of the new pricing tiers reveals a fundamental contradiction between their theoretical rationale and their actual impact.

First, the supposed reform logic: the progressive tier system aims to rationalize consumption and protect low-income groups through a subsidized first tier, while higher consumption and commercial sectors bear real costs. Theoretically, this reduces the state’s financial burden, which loses $0.14 per kilowatt produced, and directs subsidies to those most in need.

Second, the social reality shock: this logic clashes with Syrian realities for several reasons.

Purchasing power has collapsed. Comparative analysis shows that the current minimum wage in Syria can now buy only about 707 kilowatt-hours per month under the new prices, a drop of more than 60% compared to the 1970s. Even subsidized consumption has become a heavy burden.

Unbearable bills: some bills have exceeded 4 to 5 million Syrian pounds for families lacking basic electricity access, due to meter reading errors or technical issues. A typical bill of 500,000 pounds for two months equals half the salary of an employee earning 1 million pounds. This explains a popular slogan circulating among Syrians: “Let them come and remove the electricity meter.”

Lack of alternatives and service quality: public anger is compounded by the fact that these sharp increases, reaching up to 800% in some cases, have not been accompanied by noticeable improvements in service quality, which still suffers from rationing.

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