The extreme poverty line is the most commonly used benchmark for poverty, set at US1.90bytheWorldBank.Anotherbenchmark,basedontheAnkerlivingwagemethodology,istheremunerationreceivedforastandardworkweeknecessaryforaworkertomeethis/herfamily’sbasicneedsinaparticularplace.Thelivingwageconcepthasbeenusedextensivelytoaddressincomesofplantationworkersproducingagriculturalcommoditiesforinternationalmarkets.Morerecentlyintensediscussionhasemergedconcerningthe‘livingincome’ofsmallholderfarmerswhoproducecommoditiesforinternationalsupplychainsontheirownland.Inthisarticleweproposeasimplemethodthatcanbeusedinalltypesofdevelopmentprojectstobenchmarkarural‘livingincome’.WelaunchtheLivingIncomeMethodology,asadaptedfromtheLivingWageMethodology,toestimatethelivingincomeforruralhouseholds.Inanygivenlocationthisrequiresaboutoneweekoffieldwork.Weexpressitperadultequivalentperday(AE/day)anddatacollectionisfocusedonruralhouseholdsandtheirimmediatesurroundings.Ourthreecasestudiesshowedthatin2017inLushotoDistrict,ruralTanzania,thelivingincomewasUS PPP 4.04/AE/day, in Isingiro District, rural Uganda, 3.82 and in Sidama Zone, rural Ethiopia, 3.60. In all cases, the extreme poverty line of US$ PPP 1.90 per capita per day is insufficient to meet the basic human rights for a decent living in low-income countries. The Living Income Methodology provides a transparent local benchmark that can be used to assess development opportunities of rural households, by employers in rural areas, including farmers hiring in labour, while respecting basic human rights on a decent living. It can be used to reflect on progress of rural households in low-income countries on their aspired path out of poverty. It further provides a meaningful benchmark to measure progress on Sustainable Development Goal 1, eliminating poverty, and 2, zero hunger and sustainable food systems, allowing for consideration of the local context