Sri Lankans need at least Rs. 17,742 a month to meet basic needs

AI-generated image | Image by Onlanka.com

Sri Lanka’s official national poverty line increased to Rs. 17,742 per person per month in September 2026, up 8.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the latest figures released by the Department of Census and Statistics.

The poverty line represents the minimum monthly expenditure required per person to meet basic needs. People whose expenditure falls below the relevant poverty line are considered to be living in poverty.

The national poverty line increased by Rs. 23 from Rs. 17,719 in August 2026 to Rs. 17,742 in September.

District-level figures show differences in the cost of meeting basic needs across the country.

Colombo District recorded the highest poverty line at Rs. 19,136 per person per month, followed by Gampaha at Rs. 19,037 and Nuwara Eliya at Rs. 18,658. Kalutara ranked fourth at Rs. 18,624.

Meanwhile, Monaragala District recorded the lowest poverty line at Rs. 16,965, followed by Kilinochchi at Rs. 17,141 and Hambantota at Rs. 17,238. The poverty line in Badulla District stood at Rs. 17,874.

The latest figures also show a substantial increase in the cost of meeting basic needs over the years.

The national poverty line stood at Rs. 5,223 in 2012/13, increased to Rs. 6,117 in 2016 and reached Rs. 6,966 in 2019.

By September 2025, the national poverty line had risen to Rs. 16,413. The September 2026 figure was Rs. 1,329 higher than a year earlier and approximately 2.55 times the level recorded in 2019.

The Department of Census and Statistics said the monthly increase in the poverty line was due to a rise in the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) in September compared with August.

The department updates the national and district poverty lines using the NCPI to reflect changes in the prices of goods and services needed to meet basic needs.