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Friday May 15, 2026
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National poverty line increases to Rs. 16,690 in March from Rs. 16,571 in February
Colombo remains highest-cost district at Rs. 18,000 per person per month
Monaragala continues to record lowest poverty threshold at Rs. 15,958
Sri Lanka’s national poverty line increased to Rs. 16,690 per person per month in March 2026, up from Rs. 16,571 in February, reversing the brief easing recorded earlier and pointing to renewed pressure on minimum household consumption costs.
According to district-level estimates released by the Department of Census and Statistics, the March increase follows a decline from Rs. 16,730 in January to Rs. 16,571 in February. The latest data suggest that basic expenditure requirements began edging upward again before the full economic effects of the Middle East conflict could filter through domestic prices.
Colombo continued to record the highest poverty threshold in the country at Rs. 18,000 in March, marginally lower than Rs. 18,044 in January but higher than February’s Rs. 17,872, reflecting persistently elevated urban living costs.
Among other districts, Gampaha, Kalutara, Nuwara Eliya and Kegalle remained relatively high-cost areas, with poverty lines generally exceeding Rs. 17,000 per month.
At the lower end, Monaragala recorded the lowest poverty line at Rs. 15,958 in March, followed by Kilinochchi and Hambantota, continuing the pattern of comparatively lower consumption costs in those districts.
The March data indicate that while short-term price pressures moderated in February, minimum expenditure requirements resumed an upward trend in March across most districts. Compared with March 2025, poverty thresholds were higher across the board, reflecting the continued rise in the cost of essential food and non-food consumption over the past year.
The data also show relatively limited month-on-month volatility, suggesting broadly stable regional price movements despite gradual upward pressure on household expenditure levels.
Compared to January 2026, the national poverty line in March 2026 was marginally lower, easing from Rs. 16,730 to Rs. 16,690, a decline of Rs. 40.
The district-level data show a similar pattern across much of the country. While poverty thresholds rose again in March from February levels, they generally remained slightly below January figures, suggesting that the February easing was only partially reversed.
Colombo, for instance, recorded a poverty line of Rs. 18,044 in January, which declined to Rs. 17,872 in February before recovering to Rs. 18,000 in March, still Rs. 44 below the January level.
The data therefore point to a short-term softening in February followed by renewed upward pressure in March, though not yet returning to January highs in most districts.
On a year-on-year basis, however, March 2026 levels remain notably above March 2025 across all districts, indicating that the broader trend in minimum consumption costs remains upward.
