Cuba Papua New Guinea

Updated 2026-02-25

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Papua New Guinea

Minimum Wage

K3.50 /hr

$0.93 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

K2,200 /mo

Min wage: -97% Cuba vs Papua New Guinea Avg. salary: -97% Cuba vs Papua New Guinea

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 31 times lower than in Papua New Guinea in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a lower-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $16/mo in Cuba versus $585/mo in Papua New Guinea, a 36.1:1 ratio.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Papua New Guinea's 2.6%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Papua New Guinea
Metric	Cuba	Papua New Guinea	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	K3.50 $0.93	-96.8%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	K606.67 $161.35	-96.8%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	K7,280 $1,936.17	-96.8%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	K2,200 /mo $585.11	-97.2%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	K1,900 /mo $505.32	-97.0%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	K7,200 /yr $1,914.89	-93.9%

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.
Papua New Guinea: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Papua New Guinea Employment Act sets a standard 40-hour week (8 hours/day, 5 days). Maximum is 48 hours including overtime. Overtime is paid at 1.5x the ordinary rate. Work on Sundays is at 2x. The extractive sector often operates on rotating shift schedules under enterprise agreements.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	Papua New Guinea (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2012	—	$0.37/hr
2014	—	$0.53/hr
2018	—	$0.85/hr
2019	$0.98/hr	—
2020	$0.98/hr	—
2021	$5.12/hr	—
2023	—	$0.93/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 3049% less per hour in USD terms than one in Papua New Guinea. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Papua New Guinea mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $37 in Papua New Guinea.

See this comparison from Papua New Guinea's perspective: Papua New Guinea vs Cuba

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Papua New Guinea?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Papua New Guinea, it is K3.50/hr ($0.93 USD). Papua New Guinea has the higher rate by 3049% 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 Papua New Guinea?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to K2,200/mo ($585.11 USD) in Papua New Guinea. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 3508% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Papua New Guinea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Papua New Guinea 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 Papua New Guinea?

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