Key Facts: Cuba vs Saudi Arabia Wages
- Cuba Minimum Wage
- $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD)
- Saudi Arabia Minimum Wage
- ﷼23.08/hr ($6.15 USD)
- Cuba Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- $MN6,649 /mo ($16.22 USD)
- Saudi Arabia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- ﷼10,500 /mo ($2,800 USD)
- Data Sources
- Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) — Cuba (2026-02-25), Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development; minimum wage for Saudi nationals at SAR 4,000/mo unchanged since March 2021 Nitaqat reforms (2026-05-04)
Cuba 
Saudi Arabia
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 208 times lower than in Saudi Arabia 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 $2,800/mo in Saudi Arabia, a 172.7:1 ratio.
Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Saudi Arabia's 3.0%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Cuba | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | $MN12.12 $0.03 | ﷼23.08 $6.15 |
| Minimum wage /mo | $MN2,100 $5.12 | ﷼4,000 $1,066.67 |
| Minimum wage /yr | $MN25,200 $61.46 | ﷼48,000 $12,800 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | $MN6,649 /mo $16.22 | ﷼10,500 /mo $2,800 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | $MN6,300 /mo $15.37 | ﷼10,500 /mo $2,800 |
| Median individual income /yr | $MN48,000 /yr $117.07 | N/A/yr |
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.
- Saudi Arabia
-
48 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Saudi Labour Law sets 8 hrs/day, 48 hrs/week (6-day week). During Ramadan, reduced to 6 hrs/day, 36 hrs/week for Muslim employees. Overtime capped at 2 hrs/day. Overtime paid at base hourly rate + 50%. Friday is the standard weekly rest day. Government sector works 35 hrs/week (Sun-Thu).
• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 20720% less per hour in USD terms than one in Saudi Arabia. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Saudi Arabia mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $295 in Saudi Arabia.
See this comparison from Saudi Arabia's perspective: Saudi Arabia vs Cuba
Compare Cuba with...
Cuba vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Cuba vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Cuba vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Cuba vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Cuba vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Cuba vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Cuba vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Cuba vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Cuba vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Cuba vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Cuba vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Cuba vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Cuba vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Cuba vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Cuba vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Cuba vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Cuba vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Cuba vs Switzerland 
Cuba vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Cuba vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Cuba vs Sweden 
Cuba vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Cuba vs Singapore 
Cuba vs Norway Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Saudi Arabia?
In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Saudi Arabia, it is ﷼23.08/hr ($6.15 USD). Saudi Arabia has the higher rate by 20720% 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 Saudi Arabia?
The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to ﷼10,500/mo ($2,800 USD) in Saudi Arabia. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 17166% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Saudi Arabia is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia 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.