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Events of the past two years have left the world economy in a fragile state. Already reeling from the economic impacts of the pandemic and climate change, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has pushed many countries beyond their ability to cope. Rising food and fuel prices, debt distress, and tightening financial conditions are now combining to create what the UN is calling the largest cost-of-living crisis of the 21st century
To understand how people around the world are experiencing and coping with the cost-of-living crisis, GeoPoll conducted a survey in August 2022 in 9 countries from across Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The survey addressed a number of pressing topics related to the crisis, including:
- Changes in consumer income and financial welfare
- Changes in the costs of goods and services
- Food security
- Financial outlook and future concerns
- Financial coping strategies
- Perceptions of government response to the crisis
- Impact on upcoming elections
- Impact on mental health
Findings from the survey indicate that rising prices have impacted almost everyone. Most say prices have “increased a lot” in the past 6 months, reducing their family’s standard of living. The largest segment in all 9 countries say they are “extremely concerned” about rising prices, with more than half saying it has negatively impacted their mental health.
Many pin the blame for the crisis on government corruption and mismanagement. Disapproval of their government’s actions related to the crisis has already escalated into social unrest in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. If prices continue to rise as predicted, other developing nations may face the same risk.
Clearly, it is imperative for governments and policymakers to do everything in their power to slow the rising cost of living.
Click below to download GeoPoll’s full written report on the cost of living crisis or scroll down to view the survey data in the interactive dashboard.
Interactive Data Dashboard
Dive deeper into GeoPoll’s data on the global cost of living crisis using the interactive dashboard below. The dashboard provides responses to each question in the survey, filterable by country, age group, and gender.
Conduct Research Around the World with GeoPoll
In times of crisis and hardship, NGOs, governments, humanitarian groups, and other stakeholders in international development and humanitarian relief turn to GeoPoll for fast and affordable data collection. Our unique remote research system and methodologies, robust database, and direct integrations with mobile network operators enable us to reach affected populations in every corner of the world.
To learn more about GeoPoll’s capabilities and coverage, contact us today.