The poverty level in 2010 was lower than the previous years. The poor persons living below the absolute poverty level (1 015.9 lei) represented 21.9%, down 4.4% compared with 2009. The percentage of persons living below the extreme poverty level (549.4 lei) fell by 0.7% to 1.4%, shows a study conducted by the Ministry of Economy. The persons below the absolute poverty level last year totaled 734,900, while those below extreme poverty level - 46,300. According to the Ministry of Economy, the discrepancy between the living standards in rural areas and urban areas remained wide. However, the percentage of poor persons in villages fell from 36.3% in 2009 to 30.3% in 2010. The study shows that the consumption of rural households and their disposable incomes increased in 2010 owing to the fact that the selling prices of food products increased by 43%, leading to higher revenues and a lower poverty level in rural areas. The rise in the volume of remittances coming from Moldovans working abroad also contributed to reduced poverty in villages. According to the study, remittances in villages grew by 16%. The welfare of the urban population also improved, except for the municipalities of Chisinau and Balti, where the poverty line remained at the same level as in 2009. In small towns, the poverty level fell from 19.7% to 14.2% in 2010. The large families and families living on incomes obtained from agricultural activities and the elderly persons remain the most vulnerable groups of people exposed to poverty.