Talauci yana nufin rashin wadataccen kuɗi don buƙatun yau da kullun kamar abinci, ruwan sha, mahalli, ko banɗaki . Mutane da yawa a cikin ƙasashe daban-daban suna rayuwa cikin talauci, musamman a yankuna masu tasowa na Yammacin Afirka da Saharar Afirka, Latin Amurka, Karibiyan da wasu yankuna na Asiya . Akwai hanyoyi daban-daban don auna talauci. Babban Bankin Duniya ya ce tsananin talauci shi ne lokacin da wani ke da ƙasa da dalar Amurka 1 a kowace rana don rayuwa (waccan dalar ta fi dacewa). An canza shi don kawar da wasu sakamako kamar hauhawar farashin kaya, ma'ana farashin abubuwa ya tashi sama da abin da ake biyan mutum, da sauran bambancin matakin farashi. Matsakaicin talauci shine lokacin da mutane ke rayuwa akan ƙasa da $ 2 a rana. A shekara ta 2001, an ga mutane biliyan 1.1 a matsayin talakawa sosai, kuma an ga biliyan 2.7 a matsayin talakawa na matsakaici . A cikin ƙasashe masu tasowa wannan baya aiki. Can, ana ganin mutane da yawa a zaman talakawa masu aiki. Suna da aiki, amma basa samun isassun kuɗi don abubuwan yau da kullun kamar abinci da gida.