The Best Countries for Low-Income Workers to Thrive in 2025

• New Zealand offers the best quality of life to low-income workers globally, with the highest affordability and livability score.
• Social safety nets prove best in Europe as France, Belgium, and Germany dedicate almost a third of their GDP to social protection.
• Mediterranean countries show surprising strength, with Spain and Greece providing universal healthcare access, while Asian representation is limited to Japan. 

Over 600M workers worldwide earn minimum wage or near-poverty incomes, but their quality of life varies depending on which country they live in. A new study by CasinooftheKings examined developed nations to identify where low-income workers live most comfortably.

The research developed an Affordability and Livability Index (ALI) that evaluated countries using economic and social factors like take-home purchasing power, housing affordability, healthcare access, social safety net strength, and consumption tax burden. Each metric was normalized and weighted to create scores ranging from 0-100, where higher scores indicate better conditions for minimum-wage earners.

Here’s a look at the top 10 countries where low-income workers can thrive in 2025:

New Zealand ranks first as the world’s most affordable country for low-income workers. New Zealand offers $34.2K annual minimum wages, the highest globally, while keeping everyday expenses manageable. Workers here have the highest purchasing power, with each dollar buying significantly more goods and services compared to other developed nations. New Zealand provides universal healthcare access and invests 24.2% of its national budget in social programs, while also maintaining the lowest taxes. 

Belgium takes second place by offering social protections that make life affordable despite higher taxes. Belgian workers earn $28.8K minimum wage, while enjoying reasonable living costs, allowing their money to cover essential needs comfortably. Belgium dedicates 28.1% of its budget to social safety nets, providing generous unemployment benefits and healthcare subsidies. The country has 94% healthcare coverage and keeps housing within reach for minimum-wage earners.

France secures third position through the world’s most generous social support system. French workers earn $25.6K annually and benefit from moderate living expenses, giving them solid purchasing power for daily necessities. France dedicates the highest 30.8% of its national resources to social programs. The country provides 93% healthcare access and offers affordable housing options.

Germany holds fourth place. The country’s $31.5K annual salaries work well because everyday expenses stay manageable, letting workers save money and afford more than just necessities. Most Germans get healthcare through the national system with 90% coverage. The German government also spends over a quarter of its resources on social programs. 

Luxembourg ranks fifth, showing premium wages that compensate for living expenses. The country offers $32.1K annual minimum salaries with well-managed costs, giving workers the strongest purchasing ability in the entire study. Nearly everyone in Luxembourg receives healthcare through the national system, with 95% coverage. While Luxembourg spends 21.3% of its budget on social programs, workers benefit from 59% tax rates that still leave sizable take-home income.

Canada takes sixth position, offering universal healthcare and the most worker-friendly tax system in the region. Canadian employees earn a minimum salary of $24.1K. While living expenses are elevated, the country compensates this with complete healthcare coverage and the study’s lowest tax burden at just 38%. Canada spends 19.8% of its budget on social programs and keeps housing relatively accessible.

The United Kingdom secures seventh place by offering premium wages that help workers manage elevated living expenses. British employees receive $32.6K minimum compensation, among the highest globally. The UK provides universal healthcare access to all residents and maintains 22.3% social spending.

Spain takes eighth position as another European high-ranked country. Spanish workers earning $17.5K each year find this income adequate because everything from groceries to rent costs much less than in other developed countries. Everyone gets medical care through the national health system, and the government puts 24.3% of the budget toward helping citizens’ social programs. 

Japan ranks ninth, proving that lower wages can still provide a good life when costs stay reasonable. Workers earning $18K annually find their income goes surprisingly far, thanks to affordable daily expenses, one of the cheapest among all countries studied. The country has 95% healthcare coverage for residents and commits 22.8% of its budget to social support programs, while housing remains highly accessible.

Greece comes in 10th place. Greek workers earn $13.7K annually and manage well due to the country’s very affordable everyday expenses. Greece ensures complete healthcare access for all citizens and spends 24.8% of its budget on social welfare programs. Finding and affording a house in Greece also remains manageable.

“The data reveals that successful countries for low-income workers aren’t necessarily those with the highest wages, but rather those that create comprehensive social support systems,” says the spokesperson from CasinooftheKings. “What’s particularly interesting is how universal healthcare access appears in nearly every top-ranking nation, suggesting that guaranteed medical coverage is essential for worker security. The variation in tax approaches also demonstrates that different economic models can succeed, and taxation levels always depend on context.”