Cuba Spain

Updated 2026-03-02

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Spain

Minimum Wage

€7.96 /hr

$9.27 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€2,450 /mo

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

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 314 times lower than in Spain 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 $2,853/mo in Spain, a 175.9:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 10.4%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Spain's 10.4%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Spain
Metric	Cuba	Spain	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	€7.96 $9.27	-99.7%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	€1,221 $1,421.92	-99.6%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	€17,094 $19,906.84	-99.7%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	€2,450 /mo $2,853.15	-99.4%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	€1,900 /mo $2,212.65	-99.3%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	€22,000 /yr $25,620.12	-99.5%

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.
Spain: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Standard workweek is 40 hours (Workers' Statute, Article 34). Maximum 80 hours of overtime per year. Overtime compensation is set by collective agreement or individual contract, with a minimum of regular hourly rate or equivalent time off. EU Working Time Directive caps average weekly hours at 48.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	Spain (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2018	—	$857/hr
2019	$0.98/hr	$1048/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	$1106/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$1106/hr
2022	—	$1165/hr
2023	—	$1258/hr
2024	—	$1321/hr
2025	—	$1379/hr
2026	—	$1422/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 31258% less per hour in USD terms than one in Spain. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Spain mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $371 in Spain.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Spain?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Spain, it is €7.96/hr ($9.27 USD). Spain has the higher rate by 31258% 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 Spain?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to €2,450/mo ($2,853.15 USD) in Spain. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 17493% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Spain is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Spain 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 Spain?

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