Cuba Dominican Republic

Updated 2026-02-25

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Dominican Republic

Minimum Wage

RD$91.30 /hr

$1.50 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

RD$32,000 /mo

Min wage: -98% Cuba vs Dominican Republic Avg. salary: -97% Cuba vs Dominican Republic

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 51 times lower than in the Dominican Republic 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 $526/mo in the Dominican Republic, a 32.5:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 5.1%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to the Dominican Republic's 5.1%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Dominican Republic
Metric	Cuba	Dominican Republic	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	RD$91.30 $1.50	-98.0%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	RD$21,000 $345.39	-98.5%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	RD$273,000 $4,490.13	-98.6%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	RD$32,000 /mo $526.32	-96.9%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	RD$28,480 /mo $468.42	-96.7%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	RD$204,000 /yr $3,355.26	-96.5%

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.
Dominican Republic: 44 hrs/wk standard

Max 44 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.35x pay

Código de Trabajo (Labour Code) sets the standard workweek at 44 hours and workday at 8 hours. Night work (6pm-6am) maximum 36 hours/week. Mixed shifts maximum 40 hours/week. Overtime paid at 35% premium for the first 68 hours/month (beyond the standard 44-hour week), and 100% premium thereafter. Sunday and holiday work paid at double the regular rate.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

Cuba Dominican Republic Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/hr

Year	Cuba (USD)	Dominican Republic (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	$254/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	$254/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$280/hr
2022	—	$317/hr
2023	—	$345/hr
2024	—	$345/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 4980% less per hour in USD terms than one in the Dominican Republic.

See this comparison from Dominican Republic's perspective: Dominican Republic vs Cuba

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Dominican Republic?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In the Dominican Republic, it is RD$91.30/hr ($1.50 USD). Dominican Republic has the higher rate by 4980% 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 Dominican Republic?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to RD$32,000/mo ($526.32 USD) in the Dominican Republic. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 3145% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Dominican Republic is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in the Dominican Republic 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 Dominican Republic?

Both Cuba and Dominican Republic mandate a similar standard work week of 44 hours. When work hours are equal, the country with the higher minimum wage delivers proportionally higher weekly earnings. Standard work week rules set the baseline; actual hours worked often differ based on industry norms and individual employment contracts.