Nearly 17% of Cypriots at Risk of Poverty

According to data published by the Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus (CyStat), almost 17% of the country's population was at risk of poverty or social exclusion (Arop index) in 2023. This figure translates to approximately 153,000 people.

The data is derived from CyStat's 2023 survey on household income and living conditions. The Arop index considers households with disposable income below the poverty threshold, those experiencing severe material and social deprivation, and individuals living in households with very low work intensity. The index remained unchanged from 2022, standing at 16.7% in 2023.

At the same time, the poverty risk rate for 2023 was 13.9% of the population, or 128,000 people, which also remained unchanged from 2022.

The poverty risk rate represents the proportion of people with an equivalent disposable income (after social transfers) below the poverty risk threshold, which is set at 60% of the national median income.

The Arop index measures low income relative to other residents in the country, which does not necessarily equate to a low standard of living.

According to CyStat, the average equivalent disposable income in Cyprus in 2023 was €18,873, compared to €17,856 in 2022.

The poverty risk threshold in 2023 was calculated at €11,324 for single-person households and €23,780 for households with two adults and two children under 14 years old. In 2022, these figures were €10,713 and €22,498, respectively.