Key Facts: Ecuador vs Cuba Wages
- Ecuador Minimum Wage
- $1.96/hr
- Cuba Minimum Wage
- $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD)
- Ecuador Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- $650 /mo ($650 USD)
- Cuba Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- $MN6,649 /mo ($16.22 USD)
- Data Sources
- Ministerio del Trabajo — Ecuador; 2025 figure verified via Wikipedia List of countries by minimum wage (eff 2025-01-01) (2026-05-04), Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) — Cuba (2026-02-25)
Ecuador 
Cuba
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Ecuador is roughly 66 times higher than in Cuba in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $650/mo in Ecuador versus $16/mo in Cuba, a 40.1:1 ratio.
Ecuador's unemployment rate is 3.3% compared to Cuba's 1.8%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Ecuador | Cuba |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | $1.96 | $MN12.12 $0.03 |
| Minimum wage /mo | $470 | $MN2,100 $5.12 |
| Minimum wage /yr | $6,580 | $MN25,200 $61.46 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | $650 /mo | $MN6,649 /mo $16.22 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | $585 /mo | $MN6,300 /mo $15.37 |
| Median individual income /yr | $4,800 /yr | $MN48,000 /yr $117.07 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Ecuador is higher.
Work Week
- Ecuador
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 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.
- 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.
• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Cuba to Ecuador would see a 6530% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Ecuador mandates 40 hours while Cuba mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Ecuador are $78 vs $1 in Cuba.
See this comparison from Cuba's perspective: Cuba vs Ecuador
Compare Ecuador with...
Ecuador vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Ecuador vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Ecuador vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Ecuador vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Ecuador vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Ecuador vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Ecuador vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Ecuador vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Ecuador vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Ecuador vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Ecuador vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Ecuador vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Ecuador vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Ecuador vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Ecuador vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Ecuador vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Ecuador vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Ecuador vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Ecuador vs Switzerland 
Ecuador vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Ecuador vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Ecuador vs Sweden 
Ecuador vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Ecuador vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Ecuador or Cuba?
In Ecuador, the minimum wage is $1.96/hr. In Cuba, it is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). Ecuador has the higher rate by 6530% 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 more does the average worker earn in Ecuador compared to Cuba?
The average gross salary in Ecuador is $650/mo, compared to $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD) in Cuba. In USD terms, workers in Ecuador earn approximately 3908% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Ecuador and Cuba is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Ecuador earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Cuba.
How do work hours compare between Ecuador and Cuba?
Cuba has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Ecuador. Workers in Ecuador work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Ecuador 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.