Cuba New Zealand

Updated 2026-03-02

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

New Zealand

Minimum Wage

NZ$23.50 /hr

$13.99 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

NZ$5,666.67 /mo

Min wage: -100% Cuba vs New Zealand Avg. salary: -100% Cuba vs New Zealand

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 473 times lower than in New Zealand 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 $3,374/mo in New Zealand, a 208.1:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 5.1%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to New Zealand's 5.1%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and New Zealand
Metric	Cuba	New Zealand	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	NZ$23.50 $13.99	-99.8%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	NZ$4,073.83 $2,425.77	-99.8%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	NZ$48,880 $29,105.63	-99.8%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	NZ$5,666.67 /mo $3,374.22	-99.5%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	NZ$4,533.33 /mo $2,699.37	-99.4%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	NZ$61,828 /yr $36,815.53	-99.7%

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.
New Zealand: 40 hrs/wk standard

Overtime : 1.5x pay

No statutory maximum working hours, but employers must ensure reasonable working hours. Most employment agreements specify 40 hours/week. Overtime rates not mandated by statute but commonly 1.5x by agreement. Time-and-a-half and a day in lieu required for work on public holidays.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

Cuba New Zealand Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/hr

Year	Cuba (USD)	New Zealand (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	$11/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	$11/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$12/hr
2022	—	$13/hr
2023	—	$14/hr
2024	—	$14/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 47236% less per hour in USD terms than one in New Zealand. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while New Zealand mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $560 in New Zealand.

See this comparison from New Zealand's perspective: New Zealand vs Cuba

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or New Zealand?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In New Zealand, it is NZ$23.50/hr ($13.99 USD). New Zealand has the higher rate by 47236% 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 New Zealand?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to NZ$5,666.67/mo ($3,374.22 USD) in New Zealand. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 20707% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and New Zealand is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in New Zealand 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 New Zealand?

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