Cuba Germany

Updated 2026-05-24

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Germany

Minimum Wage

€13.90 /hr

$16.19 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€4,784 /mo

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

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 548 times lower than in Germany 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 $5,571/mo in Germany, a 343.5:1 ratio.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Germany's 3.7%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Germany
Metric	Cuba	Germany	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	€13.90 $16.19	-99.8%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	€2,408.67 $2,805.02	-99.8%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	€28,904 $33,660.18	-99.8%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	€4,784 /mo $5,571.21	-99.7%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	€3,000 /mo $3,493.65	-99.6%
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.
Germany: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Arbeitszeitgesetz limits working time to 8 hrs/day (extendable to 10 hrs if averaged over 6 months). Overtime compensation set by contract or collective agreement.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	Germany (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2015	—	$9.90/hr
2016	—	$9.90/hr
2017	—	$10/hr
2018	—	$10/hr
2019	$0.98/hr	$11/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	$11/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$11/hr
2022	—	$14/hr
2023	—	$14/hr
2024	—	$14/hr
2025	—	$15/hr
2026	—	$16/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 54659% less per hour in USD terms than one in Germany. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Germany mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $647 in Germany.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Germany?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Germany, it is €13.90/hr ($16.19 USD). Germany has the higher rate by 54659% 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 Germany?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to €4,784/mo ($5,571.21 USD) in Germany. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 34254% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Germany is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Germany 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 Germany?

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