Cuba Egypt

Updated 2026-05-27

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Egypt

Minimum Wage

E£29.17 /hr

$0.57 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

E£6,833 /mo

Min wage: -95% Cuba vs Egypt Avg. salary: -88% Cuba vs Egypt

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 19 times lower than in Egypt in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a lower-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $16/mo in Cuba versus $135/mo in Egypt, a 8.3:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 6.8%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Egypt's 6.8%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Egypt
Metric	Cuba	Egypt	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	E£29.17 $0.57	-94.9%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	E£7,000 $137.80	-96.3%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	E£84,000 $1,653.54	-96.3%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	E£6,833 /mo $134.51	-87.9%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	E£6,150 /mo $121.06	-87.3%
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.
Egypt: 48 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.35x pay

Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 sets maximum working hours at 8 hours/day or 48 hours/week (excluding meal breaks). Overtime premium: 35% during the day, 70% at night. Maximum 2 overtime hours/day. Friday is the default weekly rest day. During Ramadan, working hours are commonly reduced in practice.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	Egypt (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	$39/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	—
2021	$5.12/hr	$47/hr
2022	—	$53/hr
2023	—	$59/hr
2024	—	$118/hr
2025	—	$138/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 1842% less per hour in USD terms than one in Egypt. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Egypt mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $28 in Egypt.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Egypt?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Egypt, it is E£29.17/hr ($0.57 USD). Egypt has the higher rate by 1842% 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 Egypt?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to E£6,833/mo ($134.51 USD) in Egypt. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 729% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Egypt is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Egypt 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 Egypt?

Egypt has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in Cuba. Workers in Cuba work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Cuba 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.