Key Facts: Egypt vs Cuba Wages
- Egypt Minimum Wage
- E£29.17/hr ($0.57 USD)
- Cuba Minimum Wage
- $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD)
- Egypt Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- E£6,833 /mo ($134.51 USD)
- Cuba Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- $MN6,649 /mo ($16.22 USD)
- Data Sources
- Ministry of Manpower / National Wages Council; 2025 and 2026 announcements verified via JETRO citing Egyptian government sources (2026-05-27), Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) — Cuba (2026-02-25)
Egypt 
Cuba
Updated 2026-05-27
The minimum wage in Egypt is roughly 19 times higher than in Cuba in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a lower-middle-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $135/mo in Egypt versus $16/mo in Cuba, a 8.3:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 6.8%.
Egypt's unemployment rate is 6.8% compared to Cuba's 1.8%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Egypt | Cuba |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | E£29.17 $0.57 | $MN12.12 $0.03 |
| Minimum wage /mo | E£7,000 $137.80 | $MN2,100 $5.12 |
| Minimum wage /yr | E£84,000 $1,653.54 | $MN25,200 $61.46 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | E£6,833 /mo $134.51 | $MN6,649 /mo $16.22 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | E£6,150 /mo $121.06 | $MN6,300 /mo $15.37 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | $MN48,000 /yr $117.07 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Egypt is higher.
Work Week
- Egypt
-
48 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.35x pay
Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 sets maximum working hours at 8 hours/day or 48 hours/week (excluding meal breaks). Overtime premium: 35% during the day, 70% at night. Maximum 2 overtime hours/day. Friday is the default weekly rest day. During Ramadan, working hours are commonly reduced in practice.
- 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 Egypt would see a 1842% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Egypt mandates 48 hours while Cuba mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Egypt are $28 vs $1 in Cuba.
See this comparison from Cuba's perspective: Cuba vs Egypt
Compare Egypt with...
Egypt vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Egypt vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Egypt vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Egypt vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Egypt vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Egypt vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Egypt vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Egypt vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Egypt vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Egypt vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Egypt vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Egypt vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Egypt vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Egypt vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Egypt vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Egypt vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Egypt vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Egypt vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Egypt vs Switzerland 
Egypt vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Egypt vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Egypt vs Sweden 
Egypt vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Egypt vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Egypt or Cuba?
In Egypt, the minimum wage is E£29.17/hr ($0.57 USD). In Cuba, it is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). Egypt has the higher rate by 1842% 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 Egypt compared to Cuba?
The average gross salary in Egypt is E£6,833/mo ($134.51 USD), compared to $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD) in Cuba. In USD terms, workers in Egypt earn approximately 729% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Egypt and Cuba is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Egypt earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Cuba.
How do work hours compare between Egypt and Cuba?
Egypt has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in Cuba. Workers in Egypt work 48 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.