New Data: The Countries Where One Job No Longer Covers the Basics

An April 2026 report on global employment trends found that almost 20% of Bolivians have to work at two jobs. As more people take on extra work just to afford groceries and rent, a new study by the online trading platform Atmos shows where one salary isn't enough to make ends meet anymore.

• Bolivia has the highest rate of workers holding multiple jobs, with nearly 2 out of every 10 people employed at two or more positions.

• Argentinian workers fall $400 short each month after covering basic expenses, pushing many to find a second source of income.

• People in South America struggle the most to live on one salary, with Uruguay and Ecuador also making the top 10.

The report examined 60 developed countries to find where single paychecks fall short of monthly costs. The study calculated what remains after rent and expenses by examining average salaries, apartment prices, and standard living costs for one person. It then tracked how many people work multiple jobs in each country using the employment data from the International Labour Organization. Countries were ranked by combining these factors: the rate of workers holding second jobs and the gap between earnings and living expenses

Here's a look at the top 10 countries where one job is no longer enough:

Country	HDI	Multiple Jobholders per 1M Employed	Money Left After Expenses (USD)
Bolivia	High	175.1K	-$319.6
Argentina	Very High	108.1K	-$418.1
Panama	Very High	74.9K	-$852.1
Uruguay	Very High	84.0K	-$399.7
Dominican Republic	High	65.4K	-$595.0
Ecuador	High	73.2K	-$321.6
Serbia	Very High	76.1K	-$224.4
Georgia	Very High	62.9K	-$443.0
Mexico	High	57.0K	-$555.7
Portugal	Very High	53.5K	-$391.5

You can access the complete research findings here

1. Bolivia

2. HDI Category: High

3. Multiple jobholders per 1M employed: 175.1K

4. Money left after expenses: -$319.6

Bolivia makes it the hardest to live on a single salary. Out of every million employed people here, 175K hold more than one job, the highest rate anywhere in the world. That means roughly 2 in every 10 workers need a second income stream just to survive. Bolivians go $320 in the red each month after paying rent and buying groceries, so even working full-time leaves people short here.

2.  Argentina

   
   

Argentina comes second with nearly 1.5 million of its residents holding multiple jobs. That's about 11% of the workforce holding two or more positions, a rate second only to Bolivia in the region. But the financial situation here is actually even worse than Bolivia's, as the average person faces a $400+ monthly deficit after covering living costs. The biggest reason for this is the overpriced products due to Argentina’s high inflation, with basic expenses now exceeding $1,100 a month, forcing many to take on second jobs. 

3.  Panama

Panama ranks third, showing the largest monthly deficit on the list. After paying for housing and daily necessities, workers here find themselves $850+ short each month. That's more than double what Bolivians face and nearly twice Argentina's shortfall. Housing is the main problem here. The average monthly salary in Panama is around $840, but rent for a typical apartment can go over $900, meaning housing costs alone exceed what most workers earn before they even buy groceries. As a result, about 7.5% of locals have to do multiple jobs.

4.  Uruguay

Uruguay follows next, as up to 150K of its residents hold more than one job. That puts roughly 8% of the workforce in the multiple-job category, one of the highest rates in the world. Locals here usually face a $400 monthly deficit after paying rent and groceries, similar to Argentina's situation. The difference is that Uruguay has bigger salaries at around $1,045 monthly, but living costs also run higher at nearly $1,445. Rent alone averages $550+, and when combined with daily expenses, paychecks simply can't keep up with what it costs to live here.

5.  Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic rounds out the top five countries where single paychecks are not enough. Here, about 6.5% of the workforce holds two or more positions to make ends meet. The reason is the low salaries, with average employees earning around $600. At the same time, living costs in the republic exceed $1,200, meaning expenses can be twice what locals make. Housing alone can cost up to $550, leaving just $50 for the rest of the month's expenses, pushing people toward second jobs.

Nick Cooke, the CEO of Atmos, commented on the study:

"Multiple jobholding rates started climbing during the pandemic and haven't come back down. When offices shut down and people switched to remote work, it became easier to squeeze in a second job during the traditional 9-to-5. You could answer emails for one employer in the morning, hop on a video call for another in the afternoon, and nobody would know the difference. Multiple jobholding used to be something people did to save for vacations or pay off debt faster, but it's becoming more and more common now. Rising costs are part of it, but they're not the only reason."