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The poorest 10% of people in some of the world’s richest countries have higher daily income or consumption levels than the richest 10% in India, according to the World Bank’s 2026 Poverty and Inequality Platform. The comparison highlights the wide gap in living standards between India and advanced economies such as the United States, Canada, Germany and Australia. It also points to the need for India to increase incomes and productivity across the population to achieve long-term economic prosperity.
According to the comparison, the daily income or consumption threshold for the poorest 10% of people in India is around $3 per person. In comparison, the figure stands at $25 in the United States, $31 in Canada, and $28 each in Germany and Australia.
In India, a person consuming around $10 a day may be among the richest 10% of the population. In countries such as Canada, Japan and the United States, the same amount could place a person among the poorest 10%.
Low Entry Threshold for India’s Top 10%: An individual in India earning around ₹80,000 per month falls into the country’s top 10% income bracket. However, on a daily per-capita threshold level (~$10/day), that level of consumption is lower than the poorest 10% threshold in countries like the US ($25/day), Canada ($31/day), and Germany ($28/day).
In advanced economies like the United States, Germany, Canada, or Australia, the bottom 10% income threshold—after accounting for social safety nets, minimum wages, and transfer payments—generally ranges between $25 and $35 per day per person.
Top Earners in Rich Countries: To be in the top 10% of earners in a rich country (like the US, Canada, or Germany), a person usually makes over $120 to $173 a day. That adds up to an individual income of around $45,000 to $63,000+ per year (or over $200,000 per year for a family). The very top 1% in these countries make over $600 a day.
