Anna Rosling Rönnlund has spent the last 15 years making global public data easier to understand and use. Trying to come up with an idea that would connect with people better than colorful charts, she started Dollar Street. The initiative had a team of photographers documenting over 264 homes in 50 countries. In each home, the photographer spent a day taking pictures of up to 135 objects, like the family’s shoes, toothbrushes, or… children’s toys.

Turns out, you can paint a pretty accurate picture of how people at every income live if you pay attention to the things that their kids play with. From $45 a month households to more than $3,000, these intimate glimpses into the everyday lives of hundreds of families are eye-opening and more vivid than any graph will ever be.

“People in other cultures are often portrayed as scary or exotic,” Anna said. “This has to change. We want to show how people really live. It seemed natural to use photos as data so people can see for themselves what life looks like on different income levels. Dollar Street lets you visit many, many homes all over the world. Without traveling.” Scroll down to visit those who participated!

More info: gapminder.org (h/t businessinsider)

In a Burkinabe home living on $29/month per adult, the favorite toy is an old tire

In a Burundian home living on $29/month per adult, the favorite toy is dried maize

In an Indian home living on $31/month per adult holding his favorite toy

In a Zimbabwean home living on $34/month per adult, the favorite toy is a home-made ball

In a Haitian home living on $39/month per adult, the favorite toy car made out of recycled plastic items

In a Zimbabwean home living on $41/month per adult, the favorite toy is a car

In a Haitian home living on $43/month per adult, the favorite toy is a hoop

In a Burkinabe home living on $45/month per adult, the favorite toy is a broken plastic doll

In a Burkinabe home living on $54/month per adult, the favorite toy is a tire

In an Ivorian home (Cote d’Ivoire) living on $61/month per adult, the favorite toy is a shoe

In an Indian home living on $65/month per adult, the favorite toy is a home-made cricket bat

In a Rwandan home living on $72/month per adult, the favorite toys are leaves

In a Haitian home living on $102/month per adult, the favorite toy is a handheld video game

In a Palestinian home living on $112/month per adult, the favorite toy is a plastic bottle

In a Colombian home living on $123/month per adult, the favorite toy is a volleyball ball

In a Nigerian home living on $124/month per adult, the favorite toys are wooden poles

In a Colombian home living on $163/month per adult, the favorite toy is a cat

In an Indian home living on $245/month per adult, the favorite toy is a toy truck

In a Jordanian home living on $249/month per adult, the favorite toys are stuffed animals

In a Rwandan home living on $251/month per adult, the favorite toy is a stick

In a Bolivian home living on $254/month per adult, the favorite toy is a stuffed toy

In a Indian home living on $369/month per adult, the favorite toy is a cell phone

In a Latvian home living on $480/month per adult, the favorite toy is a stuffed animal

In a Jordanian home living on $583/month per adult, the favorite toy is a table computer

In a American home living on $855/month per adult, the favorite toy is Lego

In a Chinese home living on $2,235/month per adult, the favorite toy is a military tank model

In a South African home living on $2,862/month per adult, the favorite toy is a stuffed animal

In a Kenyan home living on $3,268/month per adult, the favorite toy is a tablet computer

In an American home living on $4,650/month per adult, the favorite toy is baseball gear

In a Jordanian home living on $7,433/month per adult, the favorite toy is a large stuffed animal

In a Ukrainian home living on $10,090/month per adult, the favorite toy is a large stuffed animal

In a Chinese home living on $10,098/month per adult, the favorite toy is stuffed animal

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