The National Statistics Committee announced the updating of the Minimum Consumer Expenditures (MCE) rate. The rate, used to determine the poverty line, has been increased by 6.9%—from 669,000 to 715,000 soums per person per month (from 22,000 to 23,000 soums per day).

According to laws, the committee must announce this rate annually by January 20. However, as was the case last year, the MCE was updated with a delay. The delay in announcing the MCE results in social benefits being indexed later than the legal timeline, effectively underfunding low-income families.

The MCE was last increased by 3.2% in February of last year.

According to the calculation procedure, the MCE for the respective year shall be indexed based on prices of food, non-food goods, and services—that is, inflation.

Meanwhile, inflation for 2025 was 7.3%, while the minimum consumer expenditure (MCE) increased by only 6.9%. The statistics agency explains this by the fact that households participating in the poverty line survey have a different consumption structure, with food products predominating. Food inflation last year was 5.5%.

Starting in 2022, the per capita monthly income criterion used to recognize a family as low-income through the Unified Social Security Register information system will be equal to the minimum consumer expenditure (MCE).

Some benefits and other social norms must be paid no lower than the MCE.

MCE takes into account a person's daily needs for food and non-food products, as well as services. This method involves determining the basic expenses necessary to calculate a person's daily budget.

According to the committee, the MCE is used to:

• define the target population group in need of financial and other social assistance;
• set the national poverty line based on the actual consumption level and needs of the population;
• increase the effectiveness and targeting of poverty reduction programs;
• monitor the implementation of national social strategies and programs.

For comparison: The poverty rate in Kyrgyzstan stands at approximately 25%. This is due to the fact that their poverty line is not low. As of late 2025, the subsistence minimum in Kyrgyzstan increased by 9.2% and reached 8,697.32 soms (approximately 1.2 million soums). In Kyrgyzstan, the line is determined by province and population group (by gender, by age of children, for pensioners, for the employed). The highest subsistence minimum is in the capital, Bishkek: 8,984.12 soms. For children, it is 7,379.07 soms.