Cuba China

Updated 2026-05-04

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

China

Minimum Wage

¥25 /hr

$3.70 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

¥10,343 /mo

Min wage: -99% Cuba vs China Avg. salary: -99% Cuba vs China

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 125 times lower than in China 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 $1,529/mo in China, a 94.3:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 4.6%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to China's 4.6%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and China
Metric	Cuba	China	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	¥25 $3.70	-99.2%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	¥2,740 $405.02	-98.7%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	¥32,880 $4,860.24	-98.7%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	¥10,343 /mo $1,528.88	-98.9%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	¥8,274 /mo $1,223.04	-98.7%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	¥34,707 /yr $5,130.30	-97.7%

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.
China: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 44 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Law sets 40 hours/week standard (8 hrs/day, 5 days). Overtime limited to 36 hours/month. Weekday overtime: 150%, rest day overtime: 200%, statutory holiday overtime: 300%. The '996' culture (9am-9pm, 6 days/week) is widespread in tech but was ruled illegal by the Supreme People's Court in 2021.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	China (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2018	—	$358/hr
2019	$0.98/hr	$367/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	—
2021	$5.12/hr	$367/hr
2022	—	$383/hr
2023	—	$383/hr
2024	—	$398/hr
2025	—	$405/hr
2026	—	$405/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 12401% less per hour in USD terms than one in China. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while China mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $148 in China.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or China?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In China, it is ¥25/hr ($3.70 USD). China has the higher rate by 12401% 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 China?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to ¥10,343/mo ($1,528.88 USD) in China. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 9328% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and China is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in China 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 China?

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