This year, the Anker Research Institute updated and published approximately 90 living income and living wage reports, accounting for inflation, during its annual update process. This significant effort involved the collaborative work of a dedicated group of researchers and reviewers, supported by the Anker Research Institute’s communication and administration team.
Each update was meticulously executed, starting with researchers identifying the appropriate price indices to update each estimate. Several countries have regional, rural, and urban price indices, making the decision on which index to use crucial. Moreover, many countries altered the basis or definition of their indices, requiring an assessment of comparability over time for indices with different bases.
Subsequently, researchers verified changes in taxes and contributions that workers must pay on their gross salary in each country. This involved confirming current deductions, understanding how they are applied to the gross salary, and determining whether they are deductible for income tax.
In the final step, the value of living income and living wage in each report was converted to US dollars. The greatest challenge lay in identifying the most representative exchange rate, which is not straightforward in the face of high volatility or when the official value does not align with the market price.
Lykke Andersen, Agnes Medinaceli, and Natasha Nina Andersen, affiliated with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network in Bolivia (hosted by Universidad Privada Boliviana), conducted the foundational research and prepared the majority of the reports. Rocío Espinosa Montiel from Mexico contributed additional research for specific countries. At the Institute, Marcelo Delajara meticulously reviewed and edited all the reports. The publication was overseen by Selasi Amoani, with support and coordination from Monica Heaney. Gabriella Olavarria also collaborated in the review of website publications.
2023 Living Wage and Living Income Updates
