Sri Lanka, Feb. 26 -- The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) has set Sri Lanka's official poverty line at Rs. 16,730 per person per month for January 2026, reflecting the minimum amount needed to meet basic needs. Colombo emerges as the country's most expensive district, with an individual requiring Rs. 18,044 monthly to cover essential living costs.

The national poverty line, continuously updated to account for inflation and changing economic conditions, has been recalculated using the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) with a new base year of 2021 (Base: 2021=100). The framework for determining basic needs continues to rely on the 2012/13 Household Income and Expenditure Survey.

A decade-long comparison shows a sharp rise in ...