[jariel]

Oh, $2 is a guess, I don't know the number, but it's low.

Factors are non-market issue such as social welfare programs, incidental wealth (i.e. kids with upper middle class parents, living at home choosing not to work), general attitudes, the difficulty of the labour (outside vs. inside), the relative buying power of the $2 (i.e. in a remote area, it may be possible to have 'micro homes' and get by, and social acceptance.

Wages for undocumented labour might be a hint at the number though that's probably more than $2, my bet is that's somewhere north of $6-8 right now.

My $2 take is 'long view' i.e. we see favelas in Brazil, people will accept that quality of life unless there are institutional pressures otherwise.

Also consider that the unemployment rate does not count those who have stopped looking for work.