New Caledonia Australia

Updated 2026-05-27

New Caledonia

Minimum Wage

₣991.73 /hr

$7.04 USD

Australia

Minimum Wage

A$24.95 /hr

$17.90 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

A$7,833 /mo

Min wage: -61% New Caledonia vs Australia

The minimum wage in New Caledonia is 61% lower than in Australia in USD terms, though average salaries tell a different story.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between New Caledonia and Australia
Metric	New Caledonia	Australia	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	₣991.73 $7.04	A$24.95 $17.90	-60.7%
Minimum wage /mo	₣167,602 $1,189.76	A$4,108 $2,946.92	-59.6%
Minimum wage /yr	₣2,011,224 $14,277.08	A$49,296 $35,362.98	-59.6%
Avg. gross salary /mo	N/A/mo	A$7,833 /mo $5,619.08	—
Avg. net salary /mo	N/A/mo	A$5,875 /mo $4,214.49	—
Median individual income /yr	N/A/yr	A$67,600 /yr $48,493.54	—

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

Work Week

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.
Australia: 38 hrs/wk standard

Max 38 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Standard full-time workweek is 38 hours. Employers can request reasonable additional hours. Overtime and penalty rates vary by Modern Award.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

New Caledonia Australia Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/hr

Year	New Caledonia (USD)	Australia (USD)
2019	—	$14/hr
2020	—	$14/hr
2021	—	$15/hr
2022	—	$15/hr
2023	$6.80/hr	$17/hr
2024	$6.93/hr	$17/hr
2025	$7.04/hr	$18/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in New Caledonia earns 154% less per hour in USD terms than one in Australia. Standard work weeks differ: New Caledonia mandates 39 hours while Australia mandates 38 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in New Caledonia are $275 vs $680 in Australia.

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

Compare New Caledonia with...

New Caledonia vs United States $ 7.25 /hr

New Caledonia vs China ¥ 25 /hr

New Caledonia vs Germany € 13.9 /hr

New Caledonia vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr

New Caledonia vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo

New Caledonia vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr

New Caledonia vs France € 12.02 /hr

New Caledonia vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr

New Caledonia vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr

New Caledonia vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr

New Caledonia vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr

New Caledonia vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo

New Caledonia vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr

New Caledonia vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr

New Caledonia vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr

New Caledonia vs Switzerland

New Caledonia vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr

New Caledonia vs Sweden

New Caledonia vs Singapore

New Caledonia vs Norway

New Caledonia vs Austria

New Caledonia vs Denmark

New Caledonia vs Israel ₪ 35.4 /hr

New Caledonia vs New Zealand NZ$ 23.5 /hr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in New Caledonia or Australia?

In New Caledonia, the minimum wage is ₣991.73/hr ($7.04 USD). In Australia, it is A$24.95/hr ($17.90 USD). Australia has the higher rate by 154% 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 New Caledonia and Australia?

New Caledonia has a longer standard work week at 39 hours, compared to 38 hours in Australia. Workers in New Caledonia work 39 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Australia 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.