Relative Consumption and Life Satisfaction in Turkey

This paper examines the factual relationship between relative consumption and life-satisfaction. We add to the emerging literature on this matter with a survey study among the general public in Turkey. An unique survey was designed by the authors of this paper and applied in 12 regions in Turkey with a total of 3008 respondents. For the degree of relative consumption, we found mixed correlations with life-satisfaction; no correlation with consumption compared to family and neighbors and a negative correlation with higher consumption seen among colleagues.