Cuba Hong Kong

Updated 2026-05-04

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Hong Kong

Minimum Wage

HK$42.10 /hr

$5.37 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

HK$20,500 /mo

Min wage: -99% Cuba vs Hong Kong Avg. salary: -99% Cuba vs Hong Kong

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 182 times lower than in Hong Kong 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 $2,616/mo in Hong Kong, a 161.3:1 ratio.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Hong Kong's 2.8%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Hong Kong
Metric	Cuba	Hong Kong	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	HK$42.10 $5.37	-99.4%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	HK$7,297 $931.08	-99.4%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	HK$87,568 $11,173.52	-99.4%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	HK$20,500 /mo $2,615.76	-99.4%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	HK$19,475 /mo $2,484.98	-99.4%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	HK$246,000 /yr $31,389.16	-99.6%

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.
Hong Kong: hrs/wk standard

Hong Kong has NO statutory standard working hours or maximum working hours for most employees (a rare situation globally). The government has considered legislation but has not enacted a standard hours law. Working hours are determined by individual employment contracts. Average actual working hours are ~40-44 hrs/week. Overtime pay is not legally mandated except for certain specific occupations.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

Cuba Hong Kong Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/hr

Year	Cuba (USD)	Hong Kong (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2011	—	$3.57/hr
2013	—	$3.83/hr
2015	—	$4.15/hr
2017	—	$4.40/hr
2019	$0.98/hr	$4.78/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	—
2021	$5.12/hr	—
2023	—	$4.78/hr
2025	—	$5.37/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 18072% less per hour in USD terms than one in Hong Kong.

See this comparison from Hong Kong's perspective: Hong Kong vs Cuba

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Hong Kong?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Hong Kong, it is HK$42.10/hr ($5.37 USD). Hong Kong has the higher rate by 18072% 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 Hong Kong?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to HK$20,500/mo ($2,615.76 USD) in Hong Kong. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 16030% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Hong Kong is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Hong Kong earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Cuba.