3.1.2. Poverty

Approximately 38 % of the Sudanese population was estimated to be living in poverty before 2023, compared to 70% in April 2026.672

Based on data from 2023, Sudan ranked 176 out of 193 countries in the UNDP Human Development Index, and is considered 'low human development'.673 Government revenues declined from 10% of the GDP in 2022 to below 5% in 2024, restricting the provision of essential services, while extreme poverty increased from 23% to 59% over the same period.674 According to UNDP, ‘nearly 6.9 million additional Sudanese were pushed into extreme poverty in 2023 alone’ ‘as a direct consequence of the fighting.’ UNDP indicated in April 2026 that the per capita income levels in Sudan showed a 30-year regression while extreme poverty had reached levels exceeded those recorded at any point in the 1980s.675

Following the outbreak of the war, many reportedly lost their livelihoods and sources of income, resulting in increased unemployment and poverty, in the absence of government or private support. In the last years, social safety nets in Sudan have reportedly been largely absent or non-functional, as the limited state-funded welfare initiatives in place, including the retirement fund and the Zakat Chamber,676 have stopped operating since the beginning of the conflict.677

In January 2025, UNHCR noted that the conflict had posed numerous and significant challenges for both refugees and their host communities in Sudan, resulting in a high dependency on assistance and aid from humanitarian actors.678 In many areas, ERRs and soup kitchens were the only functioning safety net after the collapse of government services and limited access for aid agencies.679 In Khartoum state, 7 ERRs were set up since the beginning of the war and they were ‘running 42 neighbourhood health clinics and communal kitchens, 11 functioning public hospitals and coordinating with local markets, pharmacies, grocery stores, electric, water and telecommunications companies.’680

The fourth round of the Sudan World Bank Welfare Monitoring Survey, covering the period from May to July 2025, found that households ‘increasingly rely on negative coping strategies’ to manage food shortages and income shocks, including reducing spending on health and education, selling assets, and withdrawing children from school.681 Reducing expenditure on essential non-food items like healthcare and education was the most common coping strategy, particularly among refugees (76 %). Notably, most refugees did not resort to selling household assets as they had too few assets to begin with.682 Another source reported data indicating that expenditure on food and beverage represented nearly 53 % of individual income. Housing, transport, and healthcare costs reportedly resulted in a 17 % financial shortfall for the average person, placing them below the poverty line.683

With the exchange rate at 3 700 SDG per USD as of March 2026, a family required around 900 000 SDG per month just for essentials.684 UNDP indicated in April 2026 a poverty line of about four USD a day, while at least a quarter of the population is reportedly surviving on less than half that.685

Sources further reported that vulnerable groups, including widows and elderly, were among those most reliant on charity kitchens for access to food assistance. 686

The February 2026 market overview by the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI), based on data collected through interviews with 1 694 vendors across Sudan, found that the median cost of food items in the national Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) increased by 9% from 214 039 SDG [approximately EUR 65] in January 2026 to 238 369 SDG [approximately EUR 75] in February 2026, with the highest cost recorded in Um Bada district of Khartoum (318 761 SDG) [approximately EUR 100]. In Khartoum, prices increased by 10 % compared with January 2026. The rise was driven by higher prices for several food items, notably onions (+25 %), sorghum (+18 %), sugar (+15 %), vegetable oil (+8 %), cow meat (+7 %), milk (+4 %), and goat meat (+2 %).687 In Khartoum, the Kalakla Al-Laffa and Jebel Awlia markets reportedly resumed their activities as of March 2026 with basic food commodities and prices 20 – 30 % higher compared to neighbouring states.688

Table 1: Median price of items in Khartoum districts (including food, household and hygiene items) as provided by REACH Sudan, JMMI, analysis tables, 5-14 February 2026. Results from calculating the median price of each monitored item per district (locality). The unit is Sudanese Pounds (SDG).689