Sri Lanka’s official poverty line has declined in February, 2026 in comparison to figures from January, the Department of Census and Statistics has revealed.
The report by the Department of Census and Statistics confirmed that Sri Lanka’s overall poverty line has declined from Rs. 16,730 in January to Rs. 16,571 in February, 2026.
According to the report, Colombo reported the highest poverty line, ranking with Rs. 17,872 in February, declining from Rs. 18,044 in January.
The Gampaha district, neighboring Colombo came in second with a poverty line of Rs. 17,780, followed by Nuwara Eliya with Rs. 17,426.
Monaragala, Kilinochchi and Hambantota districts have ranked lower with poverty lines of Rs. 15,845, Rs. 16,009 and Rs. 16,100 respectively.
The Official poverty line represents the minimum income required for an individual or household to cover essential living expenses such as food, shelter, and healthcare.
