Sources

Every data point is sourced and linkable. Cost-of-living figures use Numbeo for all cities. Earnings use a per-city primary source following the priority rule on the methodology page. For CSV downloads and citation snippets, see the data page.

Methodology

Cost data (meal, rent, fuel, mobile data, beer, movie) comes uniformly from Numbeo for every city. Each Numbeo source row below shows the contributor count and last-update date so you can verify sample size. Earnings come from per-city primary sources: government wage data, gig-platform labor union testimony, industry analyses, or Indeed/Glassdoor with sample sizes cited.

Metric	Source approach
Cost of living (meal, rent, fuel, data, beer, movie)	Numbeo. Per-city URLs in table below
Gig courier earnings	Per-city: government, union, or industry source. URLs in table below.
Minimum wage	Per-city: official government source (gov.pl, dol.gov, mintrab.gob.cl, etc). 4 cities (Denmark, Italy, Singapore, Sweden) have no statutory minimum; collective bargaining noted.
Median wage	Per-city: national statistics office (BLS, GUS, ISTAT, INE, etc).

Per-City Sources (46)

Each row links to the actual source pages used for that city.

City	Cost of Living	Earnings Source	Min Wage	Median Wage	Conf.
🇿🇦 Cape Town South Africa · Upper-mid	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 120 contrib · 1297 entries	Fairwork South Africa ratings Sampled 2023-11-01	$1.50/hr	$4.50/hr	medium
🇰🇪 Nairobi Kenya · Lower-mid	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 84 contrib · 943 entries	Fairwork Kenya 2024 ratings Sampled 2023-09-01	$0.90/hr	$2.10/hr	medium
🇮🇳 Bangalore India · Lower-mid	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 502 contrib · 4192 entries	Fairwork India 2024 ratings Sampled 2024-10-01	$0.55/hr	$1.20/hr	medium
🇹🇭 Bangkok Thailand · Upper-mid	Numbeo (Feb 2026) 194 contrib · 1349 entries	ILO Thailand platform worker report Sampled 2024-08-01	$1.30/hr	$2.80/hr	medium
🇮🇳 Delhi India · Lower-mid	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 285 contrib · 2944 entries	CollegeSearch India delivery worker monthly pay analysis Sampled 2024-10-01	$1.14/hr	$1.49/hr	medium
🇭🇰 Hong Kong Hong Kong · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 289 contrib · 1887 entries	Hong Kong Free Press: foodpanda rider pay coverage Sampled 2025-03-19	$5.20/hr	$11.00/hr	medium
🇮🇩 Jakarta Indonesia · Upper-mid	Numbeo (Apr 2026) 160 contrib · 1099 entries	Fairwork Indonesia 2024 ratings Sampled 2022-09-01	$0.65/hr	$1.40/hr	medium
🇵🇭 Manila Philippines · Lower-mid	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 70 contrib · 645 entries	Inquirer/United Delivery Riders Sentro Philippines Sampled 2023-11-01	$1.33/hr	$1.45/hr	medium
🇮🇳 Mumbai India · Lower-mid	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 329 contrib · 2943 entries	BusinessToday India gig economy investigation Sampled 2024-07-22	$0.60/hr	$1.30/hr	medium
🇸🇬 Singapore Singapore · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 328 contrib · 2145 entries	Singapore MOM Progressive Wage Model page Sampled 2025-01-01	no min wage	$19.50/hr	medium
🇯🇵 Tokyo Japan · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 154 contrib · 1065 entries	Kureba.co.jp Japan delivery driver pay analysis Sampled 2026-01-01	$8.20/hr	$17.50/hr	medium
🇳🇱 Amsterdam Netherlands · High	Numbeo (Feb 2026) 235 contrib · 1633 entries	Netherlands statutory hourly minimum wage (Jan 1, 2026 €14.71/hr) + Dutch Supreme Court Deliveroo ruling (March 2023) Sampled 2023-03-24	$14.40/hr	$22.50/hr	medium
🇩🇪 Berlin Germany · High	Numbeo (Feb 2026) 342 contrib · 2228 entries	Fairwork Germany ratings (Lieferando/Wolt) Sampled 2025-09-01	$13.50/hr	$23.50/hr	high
🇩🇰 Copenhagen Denmark · High	Numbeo (Feb 2026) 309 contrib · 1004 entries	Just Eat Denmark collective bargaining agreement (3F union, 2021) + Nordic Post Feb 2026 Sampled 2024-03-01	no min wage	$28.00/hr	medium
🇵🇹 Lisbon Portugal · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 206 contrib · 1708 entries	SalaryExpert Lisbon delivery driver wages Sampled 2026-01-01	$5.68/hr	$8.28/hr	medium
🇬🇧 London United Kingdom · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 458 contrib · 2426 entries	Fairwork UK ratings (London couriers) Sampled 2024-11-01	$16.14/hr	$24.00/hr	medium
🇪🇸 Madrid Spain · High	Numbeo (Feb 2026) 345 contrib · 1719 entries	Spanish SMI 2026 (Royal Decree 126/2026) — applies to riders classified as employees under 2021 Rider Law Sampled 2024-10-01	$8.30/hr	$14.00/hr	medium
🇬🇧 Manchester United Kingdom · High	Numbeo (Apr 2026) 76 contrib · 606 entries	Fairwork UK ratings (Manchester couriers) Sampled 2024-11-01	$16.14/hr	$22.00/hr	medium
🇫🇷 Paris France · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 282 contrib · 1927 entries	Fairwork France ratings (Deliveroo/Uber Eats) Sampled 2022-09-01	$12.50/hr	$19.50/hr	high
🇮🇹 Rome Italy · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 171 contrib · 1702 entries	Fairwork Italy ratings (Deliveroo, Glovo, Just Eat) Sampled 2024-09-01	no min wage	—	medium
🇸🇪 Stockholm Sweden · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 163 contrib · 1220 entries	Nordic Post Feb 2026 reporting + Eurofound Sweden country profile Sampled 2026-02-12	no min wage	$24.50/hr	medium
🇵🇱 Warsaw Poland · High	Numbeo (Feb 2026) 333 contrib · 2888 entries	Fairwork Poland ratings (Wolt, Glovo) Sampled 2024-11-01	$8.32/hr	$16.56/hr	medium
🇺🇸 Atlanta United States · High	Numbeo (Apr 2026) 96 contrib · 680 entries	BLS OES Atlanta-Sandy Springs metro wage data (gig est blended) Sampled 2025-05-01	$7.25/hr	$25.00/hr	low
🇺🇸 Austin United States · High	Numbeo (28 March 2026) 124 contrib · 1074 entries	BLS OES + market estimate Sampled 2026-04-29	$7.25/hr	$24.50/hr	medium
🇺🇸 Boston United States · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 98 contrib · 845 entries	Mass AG Campbell settlement page (rideshare $32.50→$34.48/hr engaged) Sampled 2024-11-06	$15.00/hr	$30.00/hr	low
🇺🇸 Chicago United States · High	Numbeo (Apr 2026) 161 contrib · 1211 entries	Gridwise 2025 driver dataset (national DoorDash median; Chicago est) Sampled 2026-03-01	$16.60/hr	$26.50/hr	medium
🇺🇸 Denver United States · High	Numbeo (6 April 2026) 107 contrib · 848 entries	BLS OES + market estimate Sampled 2026-04-29	$19.29/hr	$26.00/hr	medium
🇺🇸 Los Angeles United States · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 211 contrib · 1319 entries	LA Office of Wage Standards (Prop 22 1.2× multiplier applied) Sampled 2026-04-25	$17.87/hr	$30.50/hr	high
🇲🇽 Mexico City Mexico · Upper-mid	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 144 contrib · 1532 entries	Glassdoor Mexico Uber/DiDi/Rappi salaries Sampled 2023-11-01	$1.35/hr	$2.60/hr	low
🇺🇸 Miami United States · High	Numbeo (Feb 2026) 72 contrib · 726 entries	Glassdoor Uber Driver Miami (n=6,757 salaries) Sampled 2026-04-25	$14.00/hr	$23.50/hr	low
🇺🇸 Minneapolis United States · High	Numbeo (18 March 2026) 64 contrib · 746 entries	BLS OES + market estimate Sampled 2026-04-29	$15.97/hr	$25.50/hr	medium
🇺🇸 New York United States · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 276 contrib · 1456 entries	NYC DCWP minimum pay rate (food & grocery) Sampled 2026-04-01	$17.00/hr	$36.50/hr	high
🇺🇸 Philadelphia United States · High	Numbeo (16 March 2026) 90 contrib · 744 entries	BLS OES + market estimate Sampled 2026-04-29	$7.25/hr	$24.50/hr	medium
🇺🇸 Portland United States · High	Numbeo (22 March 2026) 103 contrib · 807 entries	BLS OES + market estimate Sampled 2026-04-29	$15.45/hr	$26.00/hr	medium
🇺🇸 San Diego United States · High	Numbeo (5 March 2026) 98 contrib · 761 entries	BLS OES + market estimate Sampled 2026-04-29	$17.75/hr	$27.00/hr	high
🇺🇸 San Francisco United States · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 127 contrib · 830 entries	SF Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (Prop 22 1.2× multiplier applied) Sampled 2026-04-25	$19.18/hr	$38.00/hr	high
🇺🇸 Seattle United States · High	Numbeo (Apr 2026) 160 contrib · 1226 entries	Seattle PayUp ordinance Sampled 2026-04-01	$21.30/hr	$32.00/hr	high
🇨🇦 Toronto Canada · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 376 contrib · 2361 entries	Ontario Ministry of Labour (DPWRA + ESA general min wage) Sampled 2025-12-01	$12.67/hr	$22.00/hr	high
🇨🇦 Vancouver Canada · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 193 contrib · 1415 entries	BC Employment Standards Regulation Part 4 Section 18.2 (delivery service worker minimum wage) Sampled 2024-09-03	$15.03/hr	$21.60/hr	high
🇺🇸 Washington United States · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 83 contrib · 699 entries	Glassdoor Uber Eats Delivery Driver DC (n=216, March 2026) Sampled 2026-03-01	$17.95/hr	$32.00/hr	low
🇦🇺 Melbourne Australia · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 226 contrib · 1717 entries	TWU survey (mid-2024) + FWC pending Minimum Standards Order proposal (Nov 2025) Sampled 2025-11-01	$16.40/hr	$28.00/hr	medium
🇦🇺 Sydney Australia · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 205 contrib · 1522 entries	TWU survey (mid-2024) + FWC pending Minimum Standards Order proposal (Nov 2025) Sampled 2025-11-01	$16.40/hr	$28.00/hr	medium
🇨🇴 Bogotá Colombia · Upper-mid	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 117 contrib · 880 entries	El Tiempo: Rappi CEO Borrero on Bogotá rider pay Sampled 2024-09-01	$1.78/hr	$1.89/hr	medium
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires Argentina · Upper-mid	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 144 contrib · 1174 entries	Fairwork Argentina 2025 ratings Sampled 2022-11-01	$1.50/hr	$4.00/hr	medium
🇨🇱 Santiago Chile · High	Numbeo (Mar 2026) 69 contrib · 810 entries	Fairwork Chile ratings Sampled 2024-11-01	$3.08/hr	$4.29/hr	medium
🇧🇷 São Paulo Brazil · Upper-mid	Numbeo (Apr 2026) 181 contrib · 1904 entries	Aliança Bike Brazil delivery rider survey Sampled 2023-09-01	$1.70/hr	$4.20/hr	high

Found an issue with a data point? Source URLs above let you verify directly. Numbers refresh every quarter (next: Jul 2026).