The ZimStart has reported that the World Bank has classified Zimbabwe as the low income country with an average Zimbabwean living on US$3.24 a day in September.

This was according to the World Bank’s Bank updated international poverty line of US$1.90 a day while the old line was at US$1.25.

Latest available data show that 72% of the population lives below the poverty lines amid revelations that the total consumption poverty line (TCPL) for Zimbabwe stood at US$97.31 per person. Details show that this represents a decrease of 0.58% when compared to August 2015 figure of US$97.88.

TCPL for an average five persons stood at US$486.56, a decrease of 0.58% when compared to the August figure of US$489.51.

Food Poverty Line for one person stood at US$30.86 from US$31.04. The FPL which is at US$1.03 a day represents the minimum consumption expenditure necessary to ensure that each household member can consume a minimum food basket representing 2 100 calories.

The FPL for an average of five families stood at US$154.32 a decrease of 0.6% from the August figure of US$155.22.

No details were included in the index provided but differences in costs between different parts of the country are shown.

Compared to US$486.56, the average cost for the basic requirements for a family of five for the whole country, the figure for Harare is at US$488.83, Bulawayo at US$501.94, Manicaland at US$438.30, Mash Central at US$484.24, Mashonaland East at US$460.26, Mashonaland West $466.98, Matabeleland North US$570.61, Matabeleland South US$548.55, Midlands $431.24 and Masvingo US$492.22.