Cuba Thailand

Updated 2026-05-27

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Thailand

Minimum Wage

฿10,400 /mo

$319.46 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

฿15,700 /mo

Min wage: -100% Cuba vs Thailand Avg. salary: -97% Cuba vs Thailand

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 10807 times lower than in Thailand in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $16/mo in Cuba versus $482/mo in Thailand, a 29.7:1 ratio.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Thailand's 0.8%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Thailand
Metric	Cuba	Thailand	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	—	—
Minimum wage /day	—	฿400 $12.29	—
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	฿10,400 $319.46	-98.4%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	฿124,800 $3,833.51	-98.4%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	฿15,700 /mo $482.26	-96.6%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	฿14,915 /mo $458.15	-96.6%
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.
Thailand: 48 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Protection Act sets maximum 8 hours/day, 48 hours/week for general work (42 hours for hazardous work). Overtime at 1.5x base rate. Holiday work at 1x additional. Holiday overtime at 3x. Employees cannot be forced to work more than 36 overtime hours per week.

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 1080579% less per hour in USD terms than one in Thailand. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Thailand mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $15,334 in Thailand.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Thailand?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Thailand, it is ฿10,400/mo ($319.46 USD). Thailand has the higher rate by 1080579% 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 Thailand?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to ฿15,700/mo ($482.26 USD) in Thailand. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 2874% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Thailand is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Thailand 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 Thailand?

Thailand 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.