I don't have a good answer for bridging the gap between what it costs to live somewhere and what low-end jobs pay, but I'm of the opinion that in aggregate, sup

I don't have a good answer for bridging the gap between what it costs to live somewhere and what low-end jobs pay, but I'm of the opinion that in aggregate, supply and demand tells us the correct wage for a particular job in a particular location. This wage may be above someone's definition of a "Living Wage" or it may be below. It is what it is. Any amount above the market-determined wage and what someone declares to be a Living Wage is a subsidy. If we decide that society needs to provide this subsidy, who pays it? In the US, we currently subsidize it through a forced Minimum Wage, an earned income tax rebate, "food stamps", health care subsidies, etc.