Cuba Sweden

Updated 2026-02-25

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Sweden

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

kr40,000 /mo

Avg. salary: -100% Cuba vs Sweden

Unlike Sweden, which has no statutory minimum wage, Cuba mandates a wage floor of $0/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $16/mo in Cuba versus $4,318/mo in Sweden, a 266.2:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 8.7%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Sweden's 8.7%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Sweden
Metric	Cuba	Sweden	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	None	—
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	None	—
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	None	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	kr40,000 /mo $4,317.74	-99.6%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	kr30,000 /mo $3,238.31	-99.5%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	kr367,000 /yr $39,615.29	-99.7%

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.
Sweden: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Standard workweek is 40 hours (Working Hours Act / Arbetstidslagen). Maximum overtime is 48 hours over 4 weeks or 200 hours per calendar year. Overtime compensation is determined by collective agreements, not statute. Many agreements provide overtime at 150-200% of normal pay. EU Working Time Directive limits average to 48 hrs/week.

What This Means for Workers

Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Sweden mandates 40 hours.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Sweden?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Sweden, it is no statutory minimum wage.

How much less does the average worker earn in Cuba compared to Sweden?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to kr40,000/mo ($4,317.74 USD) in Sweden. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 26525% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Sweden is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Sweden 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 Sweden?

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