COLOMBO, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- In January 2026, an individual in Sri Lanka requires at least 16,730 rupees (54 U.S. dollars) per month to meet basic needs, according to official poverty line data recently released by Sri Lanka's Department of Census and Statistics.
The January figure is nearly 400 rupees higher than the same period last year, and marks a substantial climb compared with previous survey years. The national poverty line stood at 6,117 rupees in 2016 and reached 6,966 rupees in 2019, before accelerating sharply in the post-2022 period amid rising consumer prices.
District-level estimates for January show notable variation across the country. Colombo recorded the highest official poverty line at 18,044 rupees per person per month, followed by Gampaha at 17,951 rupees and Kegalle at 17,493 rupees.
The official poverty line represents the minimum monthly expenditure required per person to fulfill basic consumption needs. District poverty lines are re-estimated to account for regional price differences using the National Consumer Price Index, with 2021 as the base year. ■
