Photo: Strokin.ru derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Russia: Poverty & Inequality
Where is income shared most fairly, and poverty shallowest?
Russia is placed 38th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 33.01 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 0.04 (2023).
Share
Poverty & Inequality
38th
of 159 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Russia on poverty & inequality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 3
Gini Index
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Russia’s is from 2023 · CC BY 4.0
33.01
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)
Lower is better
Russia: 33.01. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 23 (India) to 59.07 (Namibia); the world median is 33.72.
- World median
- 33.72
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 23.82 Slovakia
- Land neighbours
- Belarus 24.38 · China 36.05 · Estonia 30.71 · Finland 27.4 · Georgia 34.76 · Kazakhstan 29.19 · Lithuania 35.96 · Latvia 33.97 · Mongolia 31.42 · Norway 26.53 · Poland 28.47 · Ukraine 25.63
Key 2 of 3
Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Russia’s is from 2023 · CC BY 4.0
0.04
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Lower is better
Russia: 0.04. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Czechia) to 48.69 (DR Congo); the world median is 0.345.
- World median
- 0.345
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 0 Czechia and Belarus
- Land neighbours
- Belarus 0 · China 0 · Estonia 0.19 · Finland 0.13 · Georgia 1.3 · Kazakhstan 0.01 · Lithuania 0.71 · Latvia 0.31 · Mongolia 0.08 · Norway 0.13 · Poland 0.13 · Ukraine 0.01
Key 3 of 3
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
12.4
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Lower is better
Russia: 12.4. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Belarus) to 93.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 26.4.
- World median
- 26.4
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 0.6 Belarus
- Land neighbours
- Azerbaijan 0.7 · Belarus 0.6 · China 11.3 · Estonia 10.2 · Finland 2 · Kazakhstan 3.4 · Lithuania 12.3 · Latvia 16.9 · Mongolia 29.8 · Norway 1.2 · Poland 7.3
02Over time
Which way Russia is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Gini Index
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality) · lower is better
RussiaWorld median
Russia fell from 37.28 in 2002 to 33.01 in 2023; the world median went from 37.14 to 33.72.
Every year’s figures
Year Russia World median 2023 33.0 33.72 2022 33.9 33.91 2021 35.1 34.04 2020 33.7 34.18 2019 35.7 33.51 2018 35.3 35.25 2017 35.5 34.86 2016 36.7 34.47 2015 36.5 35.52 2014 36.9 34.79 2013 40.9 36.16 2012 40.7 35.40 2011 39.8 33.96 2010 39.6 33.71 2009 39.9 34.91 2008 41.6 34.60 2007 42.3 34.26 2006 41.0 35.63 2005 41.3 36.28 2004 40.3 34.29 2003 40.0 35.46 2002 37.3 37.14 Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) · lower is better
RussiaWorld median
Russia fell from 0.42 in 2002 to 0.04 in 2023; the world median went from 3.01 to 0.345.
Every year’s figures
Year Russia World median 2023 0.04 0.345 2022 0.05 0.420 2021 0.10 0.335 2020 0.05 0.280 2019 0.10 0.380 2018 0.08 0.460 2017 0.15 0.300 2016 0.13 0.440 2015 0.17 0.500 2014 0.16 0.635 2013 0.01 0.515 2012 0.01 0.640 2011 0.02 0.430 2010 0.04 0.530 2009 0.03 0.600 2008 0.04 0.350 2007 0.08 0.360 2006 0.18 0.465 2005 0.32 1.250 2004 0.43 0.790 2003 0.46 1.650 2002 0.42 3.010 Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) · lower is better
RussiaWorld median
Russia fell from 22.9 in 2017 to 12.4 in 2025; the world median went from 32.4 to 26.4.
Every year’s figures
Year Russia World median 2025 12.4 26.40 2024 12.8 27.10 2023 14.9 27.15 2022 19.5 27.90 2021 20.2 29.65 2020 18.5 31.80 2019 21.2 29.05 2018 21.9 29.85 2017 22.9 32.40
03In context
Russia beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 159 countries on poverty & inequality, never a place within the region.
Russia and the countries it borders
Standing among all 159; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Gini IndexGini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality) | Poverty Gap at $3.00 a DayPoverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) | Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietShare of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Belarus | 1st | 24.38 | 0 | 0.6 |
 Ukraine | =3rd | 25.63 | 0.01 | — |
 Norway | 11th | 26.53 | 0.13 | 1.2 |
 Kazakhstan | 14th | 29.19 | 0.01 | 3.4 |
 Finland | 16th | 27.4 | 0.13 | 2 |
 Polandcompare | 24th | 28.47 | 0.13 | 7.3 |
 Estonia | =35th | 30.71 | 0.19 | 10.2 |
| Russia | 38th | 33.01 | 0.04 | 12.4 |
 Chinacompare | 39th | 36.05 | 0 | 11.3 |
 Mongolia | 48th | 31.42 | 0.08 | 29.8 |
 Latvia | 58th | 33.97 | 0.31 | 16.9 |
 Lithuania | =70th | 35.96 | 0.71 | 12.3 |
 Georgia | 91st | 34.76 | 1.3 | — |
 Azerbaijan | not placed | — | — | 0.7 |
 North Korea | not placed | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern Europe
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 159.
Placed either side on poverty & inequality
The countries immediately above and below Russia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Russia is ahead of the world, and behind
27 more statistics filed under poverty & inequality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median20
Statistics on which Russia does better than the middle country measured.
Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.8850.014.885No real change since 2015
Russia: 0.01 · world median 4.885 · Employed people living in extreme poverty (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.007 to 86.02; lower is better.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.92.620.9▲ Improved since 2015
Russia: 2.6 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.
Position 129th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5291.010.529No earlier reading
Russia: 1.01 · world median 0.529 · Adjusted wealth parity index, lower secondary completion (poorest vs richest fifth; 1 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.032 to 1.022; higher is better.
Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 0.930.090.93▼ Worsened since 2013
Russia: 0.09 · world median 0.93 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 54.36; lower is better.
Position 51st of 58 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.340.161.34▲ Improved since 2013
Russia: 0.16 · world median 1.34 · Population below $4.20 a day, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 72.3; lower is better.
Position 51st of 59 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.10.092.1▼ Worsened since 2014
Russia: 0.09 · world median 2.1 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP, World Bank line-up estimate (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 89.54; lower is better.
Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 7.820.927.82▲ Improved since 2013
Russia: 0.92 · world median 7.82 · Population below $8.30 a day, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.07 to 93.58; lower is better.
Position 49th of 59 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 0.1850.030.185▼ Worsened since 2013
Russia: 0.03 · world median 0.185 · Squared poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (0–100). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 9.74; lower is better.
Coefficient of Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.058.6217.05No real change since 2013
Russia: 8.62 · world median 17.05 · Coefficient of Human Inequality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.865 to 43.08; lower is better.
Position 136th of 169 · derived, 1st = worst.
Prosperity GapWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.7540.9911.754▲ Improved since 2013
Russia: 0.991 · world median 1.754 · Average factor incomes must rise by to reach $28 a day. World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.406 to 12.06; lower is better.
Position 46th of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour BenefitsWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 18.6531.3718.65No earlier reading
Russia: 31.37 · world median 18.65 · Benefits received as a share of beneficiaries' total income or consumption (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.455 to 90.86; higher is better.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.7580.609▼ Worsened since 2013
Russia: 0.758 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.
Position 46th of 169 · derived.
Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,80022,81512,800▲ Improved since 2017
Russia: 22,815 · world median 12,800 · Actual individual consumption per capita (PPP, current international $). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 688.7 to 52,654; higher is better.
Position 52nd of 173 · derived.
Societal Poverty RateWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 17.213.6917.2▲ Improved since 2013
Russia: 13.69 · world median 17.2 · Population below the societal poverty line, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 7 to 54.36; lower is better.
Position 42nd of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.220.25No real change since 2014
Russia: 0.22 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID)Frederick Solt, University of Iowa · 2023 · world median 3330.633No real change since 2013
Russia: 30.6 · world median 33 · Gini index of disposable household income (0–100), SWIID estimate. Frederick Solt, University of Iowa, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 22.3 to 51.2; lower is better.
Position 54th of 79 · derived, 1st = worst.
Median Daily Income or Consumption per PersonWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 22.7633.6222.76▲ Improved since 2013
Russia: 33.62 · world median 22.76 · Median income or consumption per person, 2021 PPP dollars a day. World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.803 to 89.49; higher is better.
Position 23rd of 60 · derived.
Income Share Held by Lowest 20%World Bank Group · 2023 · world median 7.127.677.12▲ Improved since 2013
Russia: 7.67 · world median 7.12 · Share of national income held by the poorest fifth (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.24 to 11.07; higher is better.
Position 24th of 60 · derived.
Income Share Held by Richest 10%World Bank Group · 2023 · world median 26.1825.126.18▲ Improved since 2013
Russia: 25.1 · world median 26.18 · Share of national income or consumption held by the richest tenth (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 18.79 to 43.08; lower is better.
Position 36th of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
Palma RatioWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.3321.2681.332▲ Improved since 2013
Russia: 1.268 · world median 1.332 · Palma ratio (income share of the richest 10% ÷ share of the poorest 40%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.771 to 4.193; lower is better.
Position 36th of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median4
Statistics on which Russia does worse than the middle country measured.
Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.2525.0094.252No earlier reading
Russia: 5.009 · world median 4.252 · Multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.96; lower is better.
Position 72nd of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.
Income Growth of the Poorest 40%World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 1.8411.6051.841▼ Worsened since 2014
Russia: 1.605 · world median 1.841 · Annualized growth in real income or consumption per person of the bottom 40% (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from -4.185 to 14.51; higher is better.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.4740.446No earlier reading
Russia: 0.474 · world median 0.446 · Correlation between own and parents' years of schooling, born 1980–89 (0–1). World Bank Group, 2017 edition, data for 2017.
Published values in that edition run from 0.123 to 0.66; lower is better.
Position 63rd of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.5240.413▼ Worsened since 2013
Russia: 0.524 · world median 0.413 · Exclusion by socio-economic group index (0–1; higher = more exclusion). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.014 to 0.969; lower is better.
Position 66th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end3
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.884.8716.88No earlier reading
Russia: 4.871 · world median 6.88 · Population in households spending more than 10% of their budget on health out of pocket (%). World Bank Group, 2019 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 0.133 to 31.21.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.553.394.55Moved since 2017
Russia: 3.39 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.87.221.8No earlier reading
Russia: 7.2 · world median 21.8 · Population below the national poverty line (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 82.3.
No current reading for Russia
Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Low Pay Rate and Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Poverty & Inequality among Russia’s 15 topics
Poverty & Inequality is Russia’s 5th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Work & Labour13th of 1824/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 34th of 1984/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital42nd of 1963/3 keys
- Food & Agriculture40th of 1844/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality38th of 1593/3 keys
- Mobility & Trade62nd of 1772/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing73rd of 2002/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation66th of 1764/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge83rd of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience86th of 1934/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 122nd of 1833/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions148th of 1944/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 166th of 1864/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties183rd of 1984/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 171st of 1774/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on poverty & inequality
The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders Russia can most readily be measured against.
1BelarusEastern Europe
1st of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
SloveniaSouthern Europe
2nd of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
=3UkraineEastern Europe
Joint 3rd of 159 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: uploaded by Chern038 · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Europe
Belarus1st3/3 keysThis page
Russia38th3/3 keys
Positions out of 159 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Survey-based figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than annually, so each country is read from its most recent survey of the last decade and the year of every reading is shown; a country with no survey in that time has no standing here. Wealth, as distinct from income, is not measured, because no global source of household wealth is available to this site under a licence that allows republishing it. Multidimensional poverty, national poverty lines and the income growth of the poorest are published here as context, and what work pays is under Work & Labour.
How the Poverty & Inequality standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.
The poverty & inequality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Gini Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 27 statistics on this page come from 7 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Russia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Russia (banner) — Strokin.ru derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 3.0
- Belarus — zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Slovenia — Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 3.0
- Ukraine — uploaded by Chern038, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Russia: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/russia/poverty