Key Facts: Guernsey vs Portugal Wages
- Guernsey Minimum Wage
- £12.60/hr ($16.97 USD)
- Portugal Minimum Wage
- €5.31/hr ($6.18 USD)
- Guernsey Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £3,556 /mo ($4,787.94 USD)
- Portugal Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- €1,550 /mo ($1,805.05 USD)
- Data Sources
- States of Guernsey — Minimum Wage (2026-03-12), Government of Portugal (Governo de Portugal); 2026 figure verified via Wikipedia EU member states by minimum wage table (eff 2026-01-01) (2026-05-04)
Guernsey 
Portugal
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Guernsey is 174% higher than in Portugal when converted to USD. Average gross salaries diverge further: $4,788/mo in Guernsey versus $1,805/mo in Portugal, a 2.7:1 ratio.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Guernsey | Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | £12.60 $16.97 | €5.31 $6.18 |
| Minimum wage /mo | £2,184 $2,940.62 | €920 $1,071.39 |
| Minimum wage /yr | £26,208 $35,287.46 | €12,880 $14,999.42 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £3,556 /mo $4,787.94 | €1,550 /mo $1,805.05 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | N/A/mo | €1,150 /mo $1,339.23 |
| Median individual income /yr | £42,672 /yr $57,455.23 | €14,000 /yr $16,303.71 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Guernsey is higher.
Work Week
- Guernsey
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Standard workweek is 40 hours. Employment law broadly follows UK principles with local variations.
- Portugal
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.25x pay
Standard workweek is 40 hours (Labour Code). The first hour of overtime on a working day is paid at 125%, subsequent hours at 137.5%. Overtime on rest days and public holidays is paid at 150%. Maximum 150 hours of overtime per year (can be increased to 200 by collective agreement). EU Working Time Directive limits average to 48 hrs/week.
• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Portugal to Guernsey would see a 174% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings.
See this comparison from Portugal's perspective: Portugal vs Guernsey
Compare Guernsey with...
Guernsey vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Guernsey vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Guernsey vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Guernsey vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Guernsey vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Guernsey vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Guernsey vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Guernsey vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Guernsey vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Guernsey vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Guernsey vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Guernsey vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Guernsey vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Guernsey vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Guernsey vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Guernsey vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Guernsey vs Switzerland 
Guernsey vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
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Guernsey vs Israel ₪ 35.4 /hr Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Guernsey or Portugal?
In Guernsey, the minimum wage is £12.60/hr ($16.97 USD). In Portugal, it is €5.31/hr ($6.18 USD). Guernsey has the higher rate by 174% 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 Portugal may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much more does the average worker earn in Guernsey compared to Portugal?
The average gross salary in Guernsey is £3,556/mo ($4,787.94 USD), compared to €1,550/mo ($1,805.05 USD) in Portugal. In USD terms, workers in Guernsey earn approximately 165% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Guernsey and Portugal is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Guernsey earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Portugal.
How do work hours compare between Guernsey and Portugal?
Both Guernsey and Portugal mandate a similar standard work week of 40 hours. When work hours are equal, the country with the higher minimum wage delivers proportionally higher weekly earnings. Standard work week rules set the baseline; actual hours worked often differ based on industry norms and individual employment contracts.