Cuba Turkey

Updated 2026-05-04

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Turkey

Minimum Wage

₺164.94 /hr

$3.59 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

₺25,482 /mo

Min wage: -99% Cuba vs Turkey Avg. salary: -97% Cuba vs Turkey

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 122 times lower than in Turkey 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 $555/mo in Turkey, a 34.2:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 8.5%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Turkey's 8.5%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Turkey
Metric	Cuba	Turkey	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	₺164.94 $3.59	-99.2%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	₺33,030 $719.70	-99.3%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	₺396,360 $8,636.42	-99.3%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	₺25,482 /mo $555.24	-97.1%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	₺20,021 /mo $436.24	-96.5%
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.
Turkey: 45 hrs/wk standard

Max 45 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Standard workweek is 45 hours under the Labour Act (No. 4857). Can be distributed unevenly across days of the week, but no more than 11 hours/day. Overtime is limited to 270 hours/year. Overtime premium is 50%; weekend/holiday work is at 100% premium if the worker does not get a substitute rest day.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	Turkey (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	—
2020	$0.98/hr	$64/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$78/hr
2022	—	$120/hr
2023	—	$248/hr
2024	—	$370/hr
2025	—	$567/hr
2026	—	$720/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 12058% less per hour in USD terms than one in Turkey. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Turkey mandates 45 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $162 in Turkey.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Turkey?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Turkey, it is ₺164.94/hr ($3.59 USD). Turkey has the higher rate by 12058% 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 Turkey?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to ₺25,482/mo ($555.24 USD) in Turkey. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 3324% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Turkey is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Turkey 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 Turkey?

Turkey has a longer standard work week at 45 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.