food poverty

• National poverty lines

  There are three national poverty lines calculated by Statistics South Africa: the food poverty line, the lower-bound poverty line and the upper-bound poverty line. The food poverty line is the amount it costs to buy the minimum required energy intake for one person for a month. It is also known as the extreme poverty line. The lower-bound poverty line and upper-bound poverty lines include non-food essential items.

  DS0096 Economy & Business food povertypovertypoverty linessouth africastatistics south africa
  Geography: South Africa Period: 2006 to 2026 Source: Statistics South Africa

  Last updated: 26 August 2026

  Charts
  • CH0013 Food poverty line: South Africa
• Cost of Household Food Basket in different areas

  Description: The monthly cost of a basket of food that a low-income South African household of seven people typically tries to buy each month. The basket was designed by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group (PMBEJD) with women living on low incomes, based on the foods and quantities they say they aim to secure. It contains 44 food items. It reflects what households actually buy under tight budgets, not an ideal diet, and is not nutritionally complete. Women shoppers collect the prices from the supermarkets and butcheries that serve low-income areas, and it reflects their choices in switching to cheaper brands or stores in order to find specials, meaning the data represents what households really pay each month. This data is published monthly as part of the Household Affordability Index.

  DS0467 Economy & Business cost-of-livingfoodfood povertygrocery-basketinflation
  Geography: South Africa Period: 2020-09 to 2026-09 Source: Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group

  Last updated: 15 October 2026

  Charts
  • CH0215 Price of a basket of food in different parts of South Africa