Poverty Lines and Spatial Differences in the Cost of Living

This paper proposes a new method for estimating a full-coverage spatial price index using data typically available in household budget surveys. The food component of the index is estimated at the household level using reported expenditures and quantities, while the nonfood component is derived indirectly as a ratio among subnational poverty lines. The paper extends the analytical framework described in Deaton and Zaidi (2002) and discusses the advantages of this new methodology