Mexico New Caledonia

Updated 2026-05-04

Mexico

Minimum Wage

MX$9,583.52 /mo

$553.10 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

MX$16,500 /mo

New Caledonia

Minimum Wage

₣991.73 /hr

$7.04 USD

Min wage: +7757% Mexico vs New Caledonia

The minimum wage in Mexico is roughly 79 times higher than in New Caledonia in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a high-income economy.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Mexico and New Caledonia
Metric	Mexico	New Caledonia	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	—	₣991.73 $7.04	—
Minimum wage /day	MX$315.04 $18.18	—	—
Minimum wage /mo	MX$9,583.52 $553.10	₣167,602 $1,189.76	-53.5%
Minimum wage /yr	MX$114,989.60 $6,636.44	₣2,011,224 $14,277.08	-53.5%
Avg. gross salary /mo	MX$16,500 /mo $952.27	N/A/mo	—
Avg. net salary /mo	MX$14,200 /mo $819.53	N/A/mo	—
Median individual income /yr	MX$96,000 /yr $5,540.49	N/A/yr	—

Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Mexico is higher.

Work Week

Mexico: 48 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 2x pay

Standard workweek is 48 hours (daytime). Night shift maximum is 42 hours, mixed shift 45 hours. First 9 hours of overtime per week at 200% rate; beyond that at 300%. A 2023 reform discussion to reduce to 40 hours is pending.
New Caledonia: 39 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.25x pay

Standard workweek is 39 hours in New Caledonia (differs from metropolitan France's 35 hours). Overtime: 25% premium for hours 40-43, 50% premium beyond 43 hours.

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker moving from New Caledonia to Mexico would see a 7757% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Mexico mandates 48 hours while New Caledonia mandates 39 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Mexico are $26,549 vs $275 in New Caledonia.

See this comparison from New Caledonia's perspective: New Caledonia vs Mexico

Compare Mexico with...

Mexico vs United States $ 7.25 /hr

Mexico vs China ¥ 25 /hr

Mexico vs Germany € 13.9 /hr

Mexico vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr

Mexico vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo

Mexico vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr

Mexico vs France € 12.02 /hr

Mexico vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr

Mexico vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr

Mexico vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr

Mexico vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr

Mexico vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr

Mexico vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr

Mexico vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr

Mexico vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr

Mexico vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr

Mexico vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr

Mexico vs Switzerland

Mexico vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr

Mexico vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo

Mexico vs Sweden

Mexico vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr

Mexico vs Singapore

Mexico vs Norway

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Mexico or New Caledonia?

In Mexico, the minimum wage is MX$9,583.52/mo ($553.10 USD). In New Caledonia, it is ₣991.73/hr ($7.04 USD). Mexico has the higher rate by 7757% 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 New Caledonia may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

How do work hours compare between Mexico and New Caledonia?

Mexico has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 39 hours in New Caledonia. Workers in Mexico work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in New Caledonia 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.