Key Facts: Afghanistan vs Cuba Wages
- Afghanistan Minimum Wage
- ؋5,500/mo ($87.05 USD)
- Cuba Minimum Wage
- $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD)
- Afghanistan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- ؋30,000 /mo ($474.83 USD)
- Cuba Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- $MN6,649 /mo ($16.22 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILOSTAT (DF_EAR_INEE_CUR_NB, 2024 reporting); confirmed via Wikipedia master list (2026-05-04), Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) — Cuba (2026-02-25)
Afghanistan 
Cuba
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Afghanistan is roughly 2945 times higher than in Cuba in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $475/mo in Afghanistan versus $16/mo in Cuba, a 29.3:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 13.3%.
Afghanistan's unemployment rate is 13.3% compared to Cuba's 1.8%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Afghanistan | Cuba |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | $MN12.12 $0.03 |
| Minimum wage /mo | ؋5,500 $87.05 | $MN2,100 $5.12 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | $MN25,200 $61.46 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | ؋30,000 /mo $474.83 | $MN6,649 /mo $16.22 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | ؋26,000 /mo $411.52 | $MN6,300 /mo $15.37 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | $MN48,000 /yr $117.07 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Afghanistan is higher.
Work Week
- Afghanistan
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Labour Law (last version under previous government) set 40 hours/week. Friday is the weekly rest day. Under Taliban administration, Thursday is sometimes also observed as a rest day. Women's employment is severely restricted under Taliban policies.
- Cuba
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Max 44 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.25x pay
Labour Code sets standard working hours at 8 hours/day and 44 hours/week. Overtime is paid at 125% of normal rate. Some sectors work 40 hours/week.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Cuba to Afghanistan would see a 294386% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Afghanistan mandates 40 hours while Cuba mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Afghanistan are $3,482 vs $1 in Cuba.
See this comparison from Cuba's perspective: Cuba vs Afghanistan
Compare Afghanistan with...
Afghanistan vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Afghanistan vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Afghanistan vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Afghanistan vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Afghanistan vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Afghanistan vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Afghanistan vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Afghanistan vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Switzerland 
Afghanistan vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Afghanistan vs Sweden 
Afghanistan vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Afghanistan vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Afghanistan or Cuba?
In Afghanistan, the minimum wage is ؋5,500/mo ($87.05 USD). In Cuba, it is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). Afghanistan has the higher rate by 294386% in USD terms. That nominal gap does not account for local prices; see the purchasing power comparison below for a cost-of-living-adjusted view. Workers in Cuba may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much more does the average worker earn in Afghanistan compared to Cuba?
The average gross salary in Afghanistan is ؋30,000/mo ($474.83 USD), compared to $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD) in Cuba. In USD terms, workers in Afghanistan earn approximately 2828% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Afghanistan and Cuba is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Afghanistan earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Cuba.
How do work hours compare between Afghanistan and Cuba?
Cuba has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Afghanistan. Workers in Afghanistan work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Afghanistan working fewer hours may have comparable or better effective hourly earnings depending on the wage levels of each country. Total annual compensation depends on both the wage rate and the number of hours required.