Cuba Albania

Updated 2026-02-25

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Albania

Minimum Wage

L287 /hr

$3.51 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

L83,000 /mo

Min wage: -99% Cuba vs Albania Avg. salary: -98% Cuba vs Albania

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 119 times lower than in Albania in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $16/mo in Cuba versus $1,015/mo in Albania, a 62.6:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 10.9%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Albania's 10.9%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Albania
Metric	Cuba	Albania	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	L287 $3.51	-99.2%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	L50,000 $611.47	-99.2%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	L600,000 $7,337.65	-99.2%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	L83,000 /mo $1,015.04	-98.4%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	L66,000 /mo $807.14	-98.1%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	L480,000 /yr $5,870.12	-98.0%

Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Cuba is higher.

Work Week

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.
Albania: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.25x pay

Labour Code sets standard workweek at 40 hours (8 hrs/day, 5 days). Overtime premium minimum 25% above standard rate. Weekend/holiday work premium minimum 50%. Maximum 200 hours overtime per year. Cannot exceed 48 hours in any single week except exceptional circumstances.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

Cuba Albania Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/hr

Year	Cuba (USD)	Albania (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	$318/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	—
2021	$5.12/hr	$367/hr
2022	—	$416/hr
2023	—	$489/hr
2026	—	$611/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 11773% less per hour in USD terms than one in Albania. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Albania mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $140 in Albania.

See this comparison from Albania's perspective: Albania vs Cuba

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Albania?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Albania, it is L287/hr ($3.51 USD). Albania has the higher rate by 11773% 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 less does the average worker earn in Cuba compared to Albania?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to L83,000/mo ($1,015.04 USD) in Albania. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 6159% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Albania is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Albania earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Cuba.

How do work hours compare between Cuba and Albania?

Cuba has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Albania. Workers in Cuba work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Albania 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.