By respectable in Indian circumstances I mean decent hygienic lodging with clean walls, floor and a roof that doesn't leak, healthy enough food that you buy or

By respectable in Indian circumstances I mean decent hygienic lodging with clean walls, floor and a roof that doesn't leak, healthy enough food that you buy or cook and not left overs. Paying bills in time and wearing clean clothes. (In an urban setting rent can get costlier, so as someone noted below I am assuming one would share a house of arnd $75-$100 rent with 2-4 ppl) Construction workers by nature/the way they lead their lives are very different. May be instead you should talk to your house maid and find out :). To note these people run families with just around $150-200 earning a month. And we are of course talking about $60 per person. Do you know teachers in private schools in India start with $60 as their monthly pay and on avg earn $150 I guess.