Cuba Portugal

Updated 2026-05-04

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Portugal

Minimum Wage

€5.31 /hr

$6.18 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€1,550 /mo

Min wage: -100% Cuba vs Portugal Avg. salary: -99% Cuba vs Portugal

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 209 times lower than in Portugal 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 $1,805/mo in Portugal, a 111.3:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 6.2%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Portugal's 6.2%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Portugal
Metric	Cuba	Portugal	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	€5.31 $6.18	-99.5%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	€920 $1,071.39	-99.5%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	€12,880 $14,999.42	-99.6%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	€1,550 /mo $1,805.05	-99.1%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	€1,150 /mo $1,339.23	-98.9%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	€14,000 /yr $16,303.71	-99.3%

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.
Portugal: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.25x pay

Standard workweek is 40 hours (Labour Code). The first hour of overtime on a working day is paid at 125%, subsequent hours at 137.5%. Overtime on rest days and public holidays is paid at 150%. Maximum 150 hours of overtime per year (can be increased to 200 by collective agreement). EU Working Time Directive limits average to 48 hrs/week.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	Portugal (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	$699/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	$739/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$774/hr
2022	—	$821/hr
2023	—	$885/hr
2024	—	$955/hr
2025	—	$1013/hr
2026	—	$1071/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 20819% less per hour in USD terms than one in Portugal. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Portugal mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $247 in Portugal.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Portugal?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Portugal, it is €5.31/hr ($6.18 USD). Portugal has the higher rate by 20819% 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 Portugal?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to €1,550/mo ($1,805.05 USD) in Portugal. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 11031% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Portugal is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Portugal 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 Portugal?

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