Cuba Philippines

Updated 2026-05-04

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Philippines

Minimum Wage

₱18,070 /mo

$292.62 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

₱20,000 /mo

Min wage: -100% Cuba vs Philippines Avg. salary: -95% Cuba vs Philippines

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 9899 times lower than in the Philippines 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 $324/mo in the Philippines, a 20.0:1 ratio.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to the Philippines' 2.2%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Philippines
Metric	Cuba	Philippines	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	—	—
Minimum wage /day	—	₱695 $11.25	—
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	₱18,070 $292.62	-98.2%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	₱234,910 $3,804.09	-98.4%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	₱20,000 /mo $323.88	-95.0%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	₱17,600 /mo $285.01	-94.6%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	₱156,000 /yr $2,526.23	-95.4%

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.
Philippines: 48 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.25x pay

Labor Code sets normal working hours at 8 hours/day, 48 hours/week (6-day week). Overtime: 25% premium on regular days, 30% on rest days/holidays. Night shift differential (10pm-6am): 10% additional. Special non-working holidays: 30% premium. Regular holidays: 100% premium.

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 989793% less per hour in USD terms than one in the Philippines. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while the Philippines mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $14,046 in the Philippines.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Philippines?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In the Philippines, it is ₱18,070/mo ($292.62 USD). Philippines has the higher rate by 989793% 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 Philippines?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to ₱20,000/mo ($323.88 USD) in the Philippines. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 1897% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Philippines is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in the Philippines 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 Philippines?

Philippines 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.