Cuba Madagascar

Updated 2026-02-25

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Madagascar

Minimum Wage

Ar1,202 /hr

$0.27 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

Ar500,000 /mo

Min wage: -89% Cuba vs Madagascar Avg. salary: -86% Cuba vs Madagascar

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 9 times lower than in Madagascar in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a low-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $16/mo in Cuba versus $112/mo in Madagascar, a 6.9:1 ratio.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Madagascar's 3.0%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Madagascar
Metric	Cuba	Madagascar	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	Ar1,202 $0.27	-89.1%
Minimum wage /day	—	Ar9,615 $2.16	—
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	Ar250,000 $56.18	-90.9%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	Ar3,000,000 $674.16	-90.9%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	Ar500,000 /mo $112.36	-85.6%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	N/A/mo	—
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	Ar1,200,000 /yr $269.66	-56.6%

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.
Madagascar: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.3x pay

Labour Code (Law No. 2003-044) sets standard hours at 40 per week (8 hrs/day, 5 days). Maximum including overtime is 48 hours/week. Overtime is compensated at 130% of normal rate (for the first 8 hours of overtime per week), then 160% (for subsequent hours), and 200% on Sundays and public holidays. Night work premium applies. EPZ workers may have different arrangements under zone-specific regulations.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	Madagascar (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	—
2020	$0.98/hr	$38/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$41/hr
2022	—	$45/hr
2023	—	$51/hr
2024	—	$56/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 814% less per hour in USD terms than one in Madagascar. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Madagascar mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $11 in Madagascar.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Madagascar?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Madagascar, it is Ar1,202/hr ($0.27 USD). Madagascar has the higher rate by 814% 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 Madagascar?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to Ar500,000/mo ($112.36 USD) in Madagascar. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 593% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Madagascar is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Madagascar 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 Madagascar?

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