As of 2023, an individual living in South Africa with less than 1,058 South African rand (roughly 56.06 U.S. dollars) per month was considered poor. Compared to the previous year, this was higher by 113 South African rand. Furthermore, individuals who have roughly 760 South African rand (approximately 40.27 U.S. dollars) a month available for food were living below the poverty line, according to South African national standards.
National poverty line in South Africa from 2015 to 2023
(in South African rand)
inflation-adjusted; poverty line per person per month
Supplementary notes
The source mentioned the following notes: ''The national poverty lines were constructed using the cost-of-basic-needs approach which links welfare to the consumption of goods and services. The lines contain both food and non-food components of household consumption expenditure.
Data as of April each year except the year 2023, which is taken from May.
Food poverty line – R760 (in May 2023 prices) per person per month. This refers to the amount of money that an individual will need to afford the minimum required daily energy intake. This is also commonly referred to as the “extreme” poverty line;
Lower-bound poverty line – R1 058 (in May 2023 prices) per person per month. This refers to the food poverty line plus the average amount derived from non-food items of households whose total expenditure is equal to the food poverty line; and
Upper-bound poverty line – R1 558 (in May 2023 prices) per person per month. This refers to the food poverty line plus the average amount derived from non-food items of households whose food expenditure is equal to the food poverty line."
Currency conversion 1,00 South African rand = 0.053 US dollars as of 22 September 2023.
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Statistics South Africa. (August 28, 2023). National poverty line in South Africa from 2015 to 2023 (in South African rand) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 07, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1263737/national-poverty-line-in-south-africa/
Statistics South Africa. "National poverty line in South Africa from 2015 to 2023 (in South African rand)." Chart. August 28, 2023. Statista. Accessed October 07, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1263737/national-poverty-line-in-south-africa/
Statistics South Africa. (2023). National poverty line in South Africa from 2015 to 2023 (in South African rand). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 07, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1263737/national-poverty-line-in-south-africa/
Statistics South Africa. "National Poverty Line in South Africa from 2015 to 2023 (in South African Rand)." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 Aug 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1263737/national-poverty-line-in-south-africa/
Statistics South Africa, National poverty line in South Africa from 2015 to 2023 (in South African rand) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1263737/national-poverty-line-in-south-africa/ (last visited October 07, 2024)
National poverty line in South Africa from 2015 to 2023 (in South African rand) [Graph], Statistics South Africa, August 28, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1263737/national-poverty-line-in-south-africa/