As of late 2025, Uzbekistan defines its national poverty line, set at 669,000 soums (approx. $54.5) per person per month, which is less than the half of the $126 threshold that the World Bank uses for lower middle-income countries.
The Uzbekistan line is used for identifying households needing social assistance, with the government aiming to eliminate absolute poverty by 2030. The Uzbekistan authorities claim that the poverty rate had been reduced to 5.8% in 2025, down from 8.9% in 2024 and 11% in 2023, and that approximately 2.2 million people are considered to live below this threshold as of late 2025.
The National Poverty Line: 669,000 UZS/month per person is calculated based on minimum consumption needs for food, non-food items, and services.
Highest numbers of poor residents are located in Samarkand, Fergana, Kashkadarya, and Andijan provinces.
The government uses this metric to calculate minimum pensions, benefits, and target social assistance.
While official statistics show a low poverty rate, which is criticized for being low, some analysis suggests a harsher reality, particularly when factoring in inflation and the range of food, non-food items, and services included in the threshold calculation that is far too short.
