Key Facts: Ecuador Wages
- Country
- Ecuador (ECU)
- Continent
- South America
- Currency
- United States Dollar (USD)
- Minimum Wage
- $1.96 /hr
- Average Gross Monthly Salary
- $650 /month
- Average Gross Annual Salary
- $9,100 /year
- Median Individual Income
- $4,800 /year
- Standard Work Week
- 40 hours
- Data Source
- Ministerio del Trabajo — Ecuador; 2025 figure verified via Wikipedia List of countries by minimum wage (eff 2025-01-01)
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-04
Ecuador — Average Salary & Wages
United States Dollar (USD) Data verified Jan 2025 Sources
The average salary in Ecuador is
$9,100 a year
But half of all workers earn less than $4,800 .
The average is lifted by bonuses and high earners. Most workers earn less than that.
The minimum wage in Ecuador is $1.96/hr as of 2026. The average gross monthly salary is $650 ($650 USD). The median monthly income is $400 ($400 USD).
Median individual monthly income approximately USD 400, close to the minimum wage. Ecuador has significant underemployment (~20%) and informality. Quito and Guayaquil have higher median incomes than rural Sierra and Costa regions.
Average monthly income for adequately employed workers (empleo adecuado). Annual includes 13th and 14th salaries. Net estimated after IESS (Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social) employee contribution of 9.45% and income tax (progressive 0-37%, with first ~USD 11,722/year exempt, so most average earners pay minimal income tax). Only about 33% of the labor force is in 'adequate' formal employment; underemployment and informality are widespread (~55% combined).
Minimum Wage Trend
Since 2018, the minimum wage has grown +22% in nominal terms.
• PPP ADJUSTED
In Ecuador, the minimum wage has the purchasing power of $4.56/hr in the United States, adjusted for local cost of living using the World Bank PPP conversion factor.
In Context
At minimum wage, a full-time worker in Ecuador earns $470/mo. That is 72% of the average gross salary.
- Monthly (full-time)
- $470 at min. wage
- Share of avg. salary
- 72% gross, before tax
- Nominal growth
- +22% since 2018
Wage Breakdown
- Hourly
- $1.96
- Monthly
- $470
- Annual
- $6,58014 monthly payments (décimo tercer sueldo + décimo cuarto sueldo — mandatory 13th and 14th month bonuses)
Salario Básico Unificado (SBU) set at USD 470/month for 2025 by Ministerial Accord (USD 10 increase from 2024's USD 460, ~2.2%). Ecuador mandates two additional monthly payments: décimo tercer sueldo (13th salary, paid in December, equal to 1/12 of total annual earnings) and décimo cuarto sueldo (14th salary, paid in March in the Sierra/Oriente or August in the Costa/Galápagos, equal to one SBU). Annual figure includes both bonuses. Some sectors have higher sectoral minimums set by Comisiones Sectoriales. Ecuador is fully dollarized — the US dollar is the official currency.
Work Week
- Standard
- 40 hrs/wk
- Maximum
- 40 hrs/wk
- Overtime
- 1.5x pay
Código del Trabajo sets the standard workweek at 40 hours (8 hours/day, 5 days). Overtime (horas suplementarias) is paid at 50% premium for day hours and 100% premium for night hours (7pm-6am) and weekends/holidays. Maximum 4 hours of overtime per day, 12 hours per week. Night work (7pm-6am) has a 25% surcharge even within regular hours.
How Ecuador Compares
| Metric | Ecuador | South America Avg. | South America Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Min. wage (USD equiv.) | $1.96/hr | $2.72/hr | $13.01/hr (Falkland Islands) |
| Avg. salary (USD equiv.) | $650/mo | $656.42/mo | $1,405.33/mo (Trinidad and Tobago) |
Countries with Similar Minimum Wages
| Country | Min. Wage /hr (USD) |
|---|---|
| Paraguay | $1.94 |
| Guatemala | $2 |
| Honduras | $1.92 |
| Moldova | $1.90 |
| Bolivia | $1.88 |
| Ecuador | $1.96 |
Related Wage Comparisons
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Falkland Islands Cost of Living
Wages tell half the story. See purchasing power, prices, and quality-of-life context for Ecuador on our sister site.
Cost of living in Ecuador on costofliving.is →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Ecuador?
The minimum wage in Ecuador is $1.96/hr, effective since 2025-01-01. Salario Básico Unificado (SBU) set at USD 470/month for 2025 by Ministerial Accord (USD 10 increase from 2024's USD 460, ~2.2%). Ecuador mandates two additional monthly payments: décimo tercer sueldo (13th salary, paid in December, equal to 1/12 of total annual earnings) and décimo cuarto sueldo (14th salary, paid in March in the Sierra/Oriente or August in the Costa/Galápagos, equal to one SBU). Annual figure includes both bonuses. Some sectors have higher sectoral minimums set by Comisiones Sectoriales. Ecuador is fully dollarized — the US dollar is the official currency.
What is the average salary in Ecuador?
The average gross monthly salary in Ecuador is $650 (approximately $650 USD). Average monthly income for adequately employed workers (empleo adecuado). Annual includes 13th and 14th salaries. Net estimated after IESS (Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social) employee contribution of 9.45% and income tax (progressive 0-37%, with first ~USD 11,722/year exempt, so most average earners pay minimal income tax). Only about 33% of the labor force is in 'adequate' formal employment; underemployment and informality are widespread (~55% combined). Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) — Encuesta Nacional de Empleo, Desempleo y Subempleo (ENEMDU) (2024).
How many hours is the standard work week in Ecuador?
The standard work week in Ecuador is 40 hours, with a legal maximum of 40 hours. Overtime is paid at 1.5x the normal rate. Código del Trabajo sets the standard workweek at 40 hours (8 hours/day, 5 days). Overtime (horas suplementarias) is paid at 50% premium for day hours and 100% premium for night hours (7pm-6am) and weekends/holidays. Maximum 4 hours of overtime per day, 12 hours per week. Night work (7pm-6am) has a 25% surcharge even within regular hours.
How has the minimum wage in Ecuador changed over time?
The minimum wage in Ecuador has changed as follows: $386 in 2018, $394 in 2019, $400 in 2020, $400 in 2021, $425 in 2022, $450 in 2023, $460 in 2024, $470 in 2025. This represents 8 recorded adjustments.
What is the average salary in Ecuador in USD?
The average gross monthly salary in Ecuador is approximately $650 per month in US dollars, based on current exchange rates. Actual purchasing power may differ due to local cost of living.
How does Ecuador's minimum wage compare to the South America average?
Ecuador's minimum wage ranks #5 out of 13 countries with statutory minimum wages in South America, placing it above the median for South America.
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