Does minimum wage increase cost of living?
Consequently, will raising the minimum wage increase the cost of living?
Increasing minimum wage will not cost jobs, says government study. An independent report into the impact of the national living wage (NLW) has found that raising minimum wages has only a minimal effect on employment rates while significantly improving the financial position of the lowest paid.
State | 2019 Minimum Wage | 2020 Minimum Wage |
---|---|---|
Colorado | $11.10 | $12.00 |
Connecticut | $11.00 | $11.00 ($12.00 effective 9/1/20) |
Delaware | $9.25 | $9.25 |
Washington D.C. | $14.00 | $14.00 ($15.00 effective 7/1/20) |
Thereof, how does minimum wage affect cost of living?
First, increasing the minimum wage is often seen as a solution to reduce poverty and a way to increase the standard of living, especially for people in low-paid work. However, as we have seen, there is evidence that suggests it increases the cost of living by raising prices, especially for food.
The Raise the Wage Act of 2019, passed last year by the U.S. House of Representatives, would boost the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025, but the bill hasn't yet been taken up by the Senate for debate. In the meantime, states, cities and counties are taking their own steps to boost minimum wage laws.