Cuba Burundi

Updated 2026-02-25

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Burundi

Minimum Wage

FBu4,160 /mo

$1.40 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

FBu60,000 /mo

Min wage: -98% Cuba vs Burundi Avg. salary: -20% Cuba vs Burundi

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 47 times lower than in Burundi in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a low-income economy. Average salaries are lower in Cuba at $16/mo compared to $20/mo in Burundi.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Burundi's 0.9%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Burundi
Metric	Cuba	Burundi	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	—	—
Minimum wage /day	—	FBu160 $0.05	—
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	FBu4,160 $1.40	+265.9%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	—	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	FBu60,000 /mo $20.19	-19.7%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	N/A/mo	—
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	N/A/yr	—

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.
Burundi: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 45 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Code sets 40 hours/week as the standard. The Code du Travail is French-language, reflecting Belgian colonial heritage. Overtime capped at 45 hours total. Enforcement is minimal outside the formal sector.

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 4635% less per hour in USD terms than one in Burundi. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Burundi mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $56 in Burundi.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Burundi?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Burundi, it is FBu4,160/mo ($1.40 USD). Burundi has the higher rate by 4635% 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 Burundi?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to FBu60,000/mo ($20.19 USD) in Burundi. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 24% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Burundi is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Burundi 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 Burundi?

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