Photo: Damien du Toit · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026
South Africa: Poverty & Inequality
How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?
South Africa is placed 145th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 54.05 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 5.1 (2023).
Share
Poverty & Inequality
145th
of 159 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place South Africa 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 · South Africa’s is from 2022 · CC BY 4.0
54.05
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)
Lower is better
South Africa: 54.05. 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 Southern Africa
- 44.88 Lesotho
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 54.91 · Lesotho 44.88 · Mozambique 49.56 · Namibia 59.07 · Eswatini 54.58 · Zimbabwe 50.26
Key 2 of 3
Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · South Africa’s is from 2022 · CC BY 4.0
5.1
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Lower is better
South Africa: 5.1. 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 Southern Africa
- 5.1 South Africa
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 6.49 · Lesotho 16.96 · Mozambique 44.72 · Namibia 8.45 · Eswatini 17.72 · Zimbabwe 19.02
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
57.9
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Lower is better
South Africa: 57.9. 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 Southern Africa
- 47.9 Namibia
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 59.9 · Lesotho 77.4 · Mozambique 91.3 · Namibia 47.9 · Eswatini 68.1
02Over time
Which way South Africa 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
South AfricaWorld median
South Africa fell from 65 in 2005 to 54.05 in 2022; the world median went from 36.28 to 33.91.
Every year’s figures
Year South Africa World median 2023 — 33.72 2022 54 33.91 2021 — 34.04 2020 — 34.18 2019 — 33.51 2018 — 35.25 2017 — 34.86 2016 — 34.47 2015 — 35.52 2014 60 34.79 2013 — 36.16 2012 — 35.40 2011 — 33.96 2010 61 33.71 2009 — 34.91 2008 63 34.60 2007 — 34.26 2006 — 35.63 2005 65 36.28 2004 — 34.29 2003 — 35.46 2002 — 37.14 Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) · lower is better
South AfricaWorld median
South Africa fell from 15.43 in 2005 to 5.1 in 2022; the world median went from 1.25 to 0.42.
Every year’s figures
Year South Africa World median 2023 — 0.345 2022 5.1 0.420 2021 — 0.335 2020 — 0.280 2019 — 0.380 2018 — 0.460 2017 — 0.300 2016 — 0.440 2015 — 0.500 2014 9.8 0.635 2013 — 0.515 2012 — 0.640 2011 — 0.430 2010 9.6 0.530 2009 — 0.600 2008 14.2 0.350 2007 — 0.360 2006 — 0.465 2005 15.4 1.250 2004 — 0.790 2003 — 1.650 2002 — 3.010 Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) · lower is better
South AfricaWorld median
South Africa fell from 60.9 in 2017 to 57.9 in 2025; the world median went from 32.4 to 26.4.
Every year’s figures
Year South Africa World median 2025 57.9 26.40 2024 57.6 27.10 2023 57.5 27.15 2022 57.3 27.90 2021 58.1 29.65 2020 59.9 31.80 2019 58.6 29.05 2018 59.5 29.85 2017 60.9 32.40
03In context
South Africa 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.
South Africa 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Namibia | 143rd | 59.07 | 8.45 | 47.9 |
| South Africa | 145th | 54.05 | 5.1 | 57.9 |
 Botswana | 147th | 54.91 | 6.49 | 59.9 |
 Lesotho | 151st | 44.88 | 16.96 | 77.4 |
 Eswatini | 154th | 54.58 | 17.72 | 68.1 |
 Zimbabwe | 155th | 50.26 | 19.02 | — |
 Mozambique | 159th | 49.56 | 44.72 | 91.3 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Southern Africa
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 159.
- Namibia143rd
- South Africa145th
- Botswana147th
- Lesotho151st
- Eswatini154th
Placed either side on poverty & inequality
The countries immediately above and below South Africa in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where South Africa is ahead of the world, and behind
17 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 median4
Statistics on which South Africa does better than the middle country measured.
Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour BenefitsWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 18.6550.3318.65No earlier reading
South Africa: 50.33 · 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.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.3630.446No earlier reading
South Africa: 0.363 · 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 121st of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.7460.529No earlier reading
South Africa: 0.746 · 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.
Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.0250.039▼ Worsened since 2018
South Africa: 0.025 · world median 0.039 · MPI (0–1). Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.517; lower is better.
Position 64th of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median9
Statistics on which South Africa does worse than the middle country measured.
Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.4350.413▲ Improved since 2013
South Africa: 0.435 · 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 81st of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.260.25▼ Worsened since 2014
South Africa: 0.26 · 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.
Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,80010,25412,800No real change since 2017
South Africa: 10,254 · 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 96th of 173 · derived.
Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.2622.7921.26No earlier reading
South Africa: 22.79 · world median 21.26 · Children aged 6-23 months fed from at most 2 of 8 food groups (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.169 to 63.08; lower is better.
Position 49th of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.
Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.88514.474.885▼ Worsened since 2015
South Africa: 14.47 · 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.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.4760.609▼ Worsened since 2013
South Africa: 0.476 · 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 119th of 169 · derived.
Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.25228.84.252No earlier reading
South Africa: 28.8 · 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 45th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.117.562.1▲ Improved since 2014
South Africa: 17.56 · 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.
Coefficient of Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.0532.3517.05▼ Worsened since 2013
South Africa: 32.35 · 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 36th of 169 · derived, 1st = worst.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.920.920.9▼ Worsened since 2018
South Africa: 20.9 · 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 68th of 135 · 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.
Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.837.921.8No earlier reading
South Africa: 37.9 · 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.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.554.024.55Moved since 2017
South Africa: 4.02 · 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.
Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.880.7516.88No earlier reading
South Africa: 0.751 · 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.
No current reading for South Africa
Gini Index (last 2022), Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID) (last 2022), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings (last 2015), Income Growth of the Poorest 40% (last 2019), Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2022), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2022), Low Pay Rate (last 2015), Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person (last 2022), Palma Ratio (last 2022), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day (last 2022), Prosperity Gap (last 2022) and Societal Poverty Rate (last 2022). 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 South Africa’s 15 topics
Poverty & Inequality is South Africa’s 14th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Gender & Equality40th of 1834/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade39th of 1774/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 54th of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technology61st of 1984/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties65th of 1984/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 72nd of 1774/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 77th of 1844/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 102nd of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation101st of 1764/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital116th of 1963/3 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 134th of 1824/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 148th of 2004/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience152nd of 1934/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality145th of 1593/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainability172nd of 1864/4 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 South Africa can most readily be measured against.
1
BelarusEastern 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
=3
UkraineEastern Europe
Joint 3rd of 159 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: uploaded by Chern038 · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Africa
Tunisia43rd3/3 keysHighest in Southern Africa
Namibia143rd3/3 keysThis page
South Africa145th3/3 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.
07Questions
South Africa on poverty & inequality: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does South Africa rank on poverty & inequality?
South Africa is placed 145th of 159 countries on Poverty & Inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Gini Index, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day and Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Gini Index figure for South Africa?
54.05 in 2023 (gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 33.72.
What is the latest Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day figure for South Africa?
5.1 in 2023 (poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.345.
How does South Africa compare with Mozambique on poverty & inequality?
Mozambique is placed 159th of 159, and South Africa 145th. Gini Index: Mozambique 49.56, South Africa 54.05; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day: Mozambique 44.72, South Africa 5.1; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet: Mozambique 91.3, South Africa 57.9.
How have South Africa’s poverty & inequality figures changed?
Gini Index fell from 65 in 2005 to 54.05 in 2022; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day fell from 15.43 in 2005 to 5.1 in 2022; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet fell from 60.9 in 2017 to 57.9 in 2025.
Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for South Africa?
No current reading is published for South Africa on Gini Index, Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Income Growth of the Poorest 40%, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10%, Low Pay Rate, Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person, Palma Ratio, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Prosperity Gap and Societal Poverty Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
These figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than every year. So the subject's standing is read from each country's most recent survey of the last decade, with the year of every reading shown, rather than from one year in which only a minority of countries were surveyed. Two readings decide it — how unequally income is shared and how deep extreme poverty runs — because the other poverty and inequality measures here largely repeat one of those two or repeat average income, which already counts under Economy and Development. Countries with no survey in the last decade have no standing here. What work pays is under Work & Labour; wealth, as opposed to income, has no global source this site is permitted to republish.
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 17 statistics on this page come from 8 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
South Africa’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- South Africa (banner) — Damien du Toit, CC BY 2.0
- 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). South Africa: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/south-africa/poverty