Cuba Vietnam

Updated 2026-05-27

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Vietnam

Minimum Wage

₫25,500 /hr

$1.00 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

₫8,000,000 /mo

Min wage: -97% Cuba vs Vietnam Avg. salary: -95% Cuba vs Vietnam

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 34 times lower than in Vietnam in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a lower-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $16/mo in Cuba versus $315/mo in Vietnam, a 19.4:1 ratio.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Vietnam's 1.5%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Vietnam
Metric	Cuba	Vietnam	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	₫25,500 $1.00	-97.1%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	₫5,310,000 $209.06	-97.5%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	—	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	₫8,000,000 /mo $314.96	-94.9%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	₫7,200,000 /mo $283.46	-94.6%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	₫48,000,000 /yr $1,889.76	-93.8%

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.
Vietnam: 48 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Code 2019 sets standard at 48 hours/week (8 hrs/day, 6 days). Many office/white-collar workers work 40 hrs/week. Overtime capped at 40 hrs/month and 200 hrs/year (300 hrs in special cases). Overtime rates: 150% weekdays, 200% weekends, 300% holidays.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	Cuba (USD)	Vietnam (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	—
2020	$0.98/hr	$174/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$174/hr
2022	—	$184/hr
2023	—	$184/hr
2024	—	$195/hr
2026	—	$209/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 3296% less per hour in USD terms than one in Vietnam. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Vietnam mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $48 in Vietnam.

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

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Vietnam?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Vietnam, it is ₫25,500/hr ($1.00 USD). Vietnam has the higher rate by 3296% 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 Vietnam?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to ₫8,000,000/mo ($314.96 USD) in Vietnam. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 1842% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Vietnam is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Vietnam 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 Vietnam?

Vietnam 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.