Labor advocacy groups welcomed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s signing on Tuesday of an executive order that will raise wages for thousands of New Yorkers, saying it will help people survive in the notoriously expensive city.

De Blasio said the order expands a 2012 “living wage” law that previously applied to only 1,200 New York jobs. The order extends coverage to 18,000 workers over the next five years, and increases the amount they must be paid under the law — to as high as $13.13 an hour for some workers.

The executive order will cover employees of commercial tenants in development projects that take in more than $1 million in city subsidies, The New York Times said Tuesday.

“I think it’s a good step in the right direction for helping reduce income inequality,” said Cara Noel, spokeswoman for NYC Central Labor Council, adding that it will likely put some people on the path to becoming self-sufficient.

The term living wage refers to the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet needs that are considered basic. De Blasio’s order comes amid a national movement of low-wage workers advocating for higher pay.

"We're doing something urgent that takes effect today," de Blasio said Tuesday at a news conference, adding that he would also move to raise the state’s overall minimum wage.

Calling the order "one part of a bigger strategy," he said, “We need to move united from here to Albany to raise the state minimum wage to $10.10.”

Under the executive order the living wage will be raised from $10.30 to $11.50 for workers in New York City who already receive benefits including health insurance. For those without benefits, the amount will increase from $11.90 to $13.13, according to The New York Times.