Living Wage

This section shows whether living wage or minimum wage data is available for the country or region where this production location operates through integrations with Spotlight Partners. Partners in this category are organizations that research and publish wage information.

Understanding the difference between the two:

• A living wage is not legally mandated - it is a benchmark estimate of what a worker needs to earn to cover basic needs for themselves and their family. It is typically higher than the legal minimum.

• A minimum wage is the legally required lowest amount an employer can pay a worker, set by national or regional governments. It does not necessarily reflect the actual cost of living.

Understanding the gap between the two can be a useful indicator of wage risk in a supply chain.

Where did this data come from?

OS Hub acts as a connector - surfacing where wage datasets exist and linking to the relevant partner platform that holds it. The presence of a data point here means that one or more OS Hub partners gave wage data available for the country or region associated with this production location.

These datasets currently listed are developed through each partner's independent research methodology and are not facility-reported figures. They reflect estimated wage standards for a given geography, not actual wages paid at this production location. Availability depends on whether the relevant geography has been covered by the partner's research.

How can you use this data?

There are many ways you might analyze or factor this information into your programs.

Use this data as a reference point when assessing whether wages at a production location are likely to meet living wage standards in that context. Specific use cases include:

• Comparing supplier wage levels against national or regional living wage datasets

• Conducting localized wage-risk analysis using region-specific estimates where available

• Supporting compliance reviews by referencing statutory minimum wage requirements

• Informing fair-pay strategies and supplier engagement conversations

• Supporting reporting under frameworks such as the UN SDGs or relevant due diligence regulations

Note that accessing the full benchmark data and methodology may require visiting the partner platform directly. Follow the links provided on each facility profile to find out more.

Check out specific case studies from each of the partners below for additional inspiration.

From the Partners

Living Wage Institute

View Spotlight data

The Living Wage Institute provides county-level living wage estimates across the United States, updated annually and accessible through our public tool, the Living Wage Calculator. Beyond our publicly available data, we offer living wage audit support and analysis through our hourly compensation toolkit.

Data points

• Local living wage: Hourly employment earnings that a full-time worker needs to cover the costs of their family’s basic needs in a given county.

Methodology

We produce highly localized living wage data across the United States each year, leveraging the most recent data from a variety of credible sources to calculate costs for eight basic needs plus income and payroll taxes at the county and metro levels for 12 family types. Together, these underlying costs estimate the employment earnings—or the living wage—that a full-time worker needs hourly to cover the costs of their family’s basic needs where they live without relying on additional assistance. You can read an overview of our methodology here, and dig into our detailed technical documentation here.

Coverage

The living wage data covers all 3,144 counties and metro areas in the United States.

Update frequency

Refreshed annually by the end of the first quarter.

How others use this data

• Learn more about our data and employer compensation tools

Learn more

• Visit our website

• Contact us

• Check out our blog

WageIndicator

View Spotlight data

The WageIndicator Foundation is a global, independent, non-profit organization aiming to improve labour market transparency. It offers vast databases on Minimum Wages, Living Wages, Salaries, Labour Law, and Collective Agreements 216 countries and territories in the world, in local languages. WageIndicator actively contributes to the OS Hub platform through projects currently underway with partners in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Türkiye.

Data points

• Minimum Wages: The rates specified by a national government or any institution entitled to issue such rates. In most countries, Minimum Wage rates are adjusted periodically to keep pace with inflation, cost of living, and other factors. WageIndicator’s Minimum Wage database is continuously updated for 216 countries and territories.
• Living Wages: The wage level that is necessary to afford a decent standard of living for workers and their families, taking into account the country circumstances and calculated for the work performed during the normal hours of work. WageIndicator’s Living Wages are updated quarterly for 185+ countries and regions worldwide.

Methodology

• Minimum Wages FAQ: Find answers to common questions about statutory minimum wages and the WageIndicator Minimum Wage Database. Learn how the data is collected, classified, updated, and maintained across countries.
• Living Wages FAQ: Find detailed answers about Living Wages, Living Income, and the Living Tariff. This FAQ explains our methodology, data collection, calculations, updates, and how Living Wage estimates are developed and used worldwide.

Coverage

As of April 2026, WageIndicator covers Minimum Wages data across 216 countries and more than 22,000 types of Minimum Wages. The Living Wage database covers 184 countries and regions.

Update frequency

Updated quarterly.

How others use this data

A growing number of multinational enterprises and other international clients use the WageIndicator Living Wage data to explore if the remuneration in their own companies or in their supply chains meets the Living Wage threshold. Many use the WageIndicator estimates in their annual reports year on year to assess their pay gaps.

WageIndicator data is purchased by hundreds of global clients; multinational enterprises, with locations in many countries like Unilever or Maersk, and thousands of companies with just between one and fifteen locations. Some of their stories can be found here.

In addition, the data is heavily used by NGOs like FairWear Foundation, MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) or SOS Children's Villages International, as well as hundreds of trade unions worldwide.

In addition to using the dataset for their own purposes, some companies - like Unilever, IKEA, L’Oréal, and Schneider Electric - supported WageIndicator’s efforts to make Living Wage estimates publicly available. Their motivation stems from a shared belief that ensuring workers, both within and outside their supply chains, should earn a wage that supports a decent standard of living is essential. They also see public estimates as a way to drive accountability and transparency within industries, as well as their complex supply chains.

Learn more

• Minimum Wage Updates
• Living Wage Updates
• Purchase Living Wages data

Have questions?

First, check the FAQs below, we may have already answered your question! If you can't find what you need there, please reach out to support@opensupplyhub.org and we are happy to assist you.