Cuba Macau

Updated 2026-02-25

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Macau

Minimum Wage

MOP$35 /hr

$4.34 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

MOP$18,000 /mo

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

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 147 times lower than in Macau 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 $2,233/mo in Macau, a 137.7:1 ratio.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Macau's 2.4%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Macau
Metric	Cuba	Macau	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	MOP$35 $4.34	-99.3%
Minimum wage /day	—	MOP$280 $34.74	—
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	MOP$7,280 $903.23	-99.4%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	MOP$87,360 $10,838.71	-99.4%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	MOP$18,000 /mo $2,233.25	-99.3%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	MOP$16,560 /mo $2,054.59	-99.3%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	MOP$216,000 /yr $26,799.01	-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.
Macau: 48 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Maximum working hours are 48 hours per week (8 hours/day, 6 days/week) under the Labour Relations Law (Law No. 7/2008). Overtime is not explicitly regulated by multiplier in law but must be compensated fairly. In practice, most employers pay 1.5x for overtime. Casino workers often work in shifts. The government sector works shorter hours (typically 36 hours/week).

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	Macau (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	—
2020	$0.98/hr	$826/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	—
2024	—	$877/hr
2026	—	$903/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 14590% less per hour in USD terms than one in Macau. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Macau mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $208 in Macau.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Macau?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Macau, it is MOP$35/hr ($4.34 USD). Macau has the higher rate by 14590% 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 Macau?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to MOP$18,000/mo ($2,233.25 USD) in Macau. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 13671% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Macau is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Macau 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 Macau?

Macau 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.