Official poverty line rises to Rs. 17,315 in May

Saturday, 4 July 2026 01:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Colombo highest at Rs. 18,675, Moneragala lowest at Rs. 16,556

Sri Lanka’s national official poverty line increased to Rs. 17,315 per person per month in May 2026 from Rs. 17,117 in April, according to the latest estimates released by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS).

The official poverty line, which represents the minimum monthly expenditure per person required to fulfil basic needs, rose by Rs. 198 from the previous month.

District-level estimates continued to show disparities in minimum expenditure requirements. Colombo recorded the highest official poverty line at Rs. 18,675 per person per month, followed by Nuwara Eliya at Rs. 18,209 and Kegalle at Rs. 18,105.

At the other end of the scale, Moneragala recorded the lowest poverty line at Rs. 16,556, followed by Mannar at Rs. 16,698 and Hambantota at Rs. 16,823.

Compared with May 2025, when the national official poverty line stood at Rs. 16,421, the latest estimate represents an increase of Rs. 894 over the past year.