Cuba Australia

Updated 2026-05-27

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Australia

Minimum Wage

A$24.95 /hr

$17.90 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

A$7,833 /mo

Min wage: -100% Cuba vs Australia Avg. salary: -100% Cuba vs Australia

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 605 times lower than in Australia in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a high-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $16/mo in Cuba versus $5,619/mo in Australia, a 346.5:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 4.1%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Australia's 4.1%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Australia
Metric	Cuba	Australia	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	A$24.95 $17.90	-99.8%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	A$4,108 $2,946.92	-99.8%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	A$49,296 $35,362.98	-99.8%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	A$7,833 /mo $5,619.08	-99.7%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	A$5,875 /mo $4,214.49	-99.6%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	A$67,600 /yr $48,493.54	-99.8%

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.
Australia: 38 hrs/wk standard

Max 38 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Standard full-time workweek is 38 hours. Employers can request reasonable additional hours. Overtime and penalty rates vary by Modern Award.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	Australia (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	$14/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	$14/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$15/hr
2022	—	$15/hr
2023	—	$17/hr
2024	—	$17/hr
2025	—	$18/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 60446% less per hour in USD terms than one in Australia. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Australia mandates 38 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $680 in Australia.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Australia?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Australia, it is A$24.95/hr ($17.90 USD). Australia has the higher rate by 60446% 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 Australia?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to A$7,833/mo ($5,619.08 USD) in Australia. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 34549% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Australia is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Australia 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 Australia?

Cuba has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 38 hours in Australia. Workers in Cuba work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Australia 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.