Sri Lanka, Nov. 5 -- A new government survey reveals that poverty levels in Sri Lanka have risen, reversing years of steady decline following the economic crisis.

According to preliminary findings from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey for the first quarter of 2025, released by the Department of Census and Statistics, the national poverty headcount index has climbed to 16%.

This means roughly 3.42 million people are now living below the official poverty line.

The survey shows that while wages and prices look much higher on paper, people's actual purchasing power has taken a heavy hit.

Although nominal average household income surged to 120,266 rupees a month, after adjusting for inflation, the real value of that income actua...