my Indian friend lives in a household with an annual income of 50k year, and they are Brahman class, i.e. the richest caste. They also have inherited land/wealth/govt. perks....but still, it shows you the effect of purchasing power.
50k/year in any major North American city is borderline poverty, and won't get you a decent GF/wife unless you're a super good looking bad boy, in which case you don't need a job. But even so, consumption inequality is almost irrelevant in an OECD nation; now it's all relative wealth/social status...that's why I used the GF thing as a barometer. Anybody who tries in an OECD nation can eat and have shelter, including illegal Mexicans-whether or not they are respected is a different story.
I talked to a guy who makes 1mill a year as an investment banker, and says he wants to move because he doesn't stand out amongst his wall street crowd.