New Caledonia France

Updated 2026-05-04

New Caledonia

Minimum Wage

₣991.73 /hr

$7.04 USD

France

Minimum Wage

€12.02 /hr

$14.00 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€3,500 /mo

Min wage: -50% New Caledonia vs France

The minimum wage in New Caledonia is 50% lower than in France in USD terms, though average salaries tell a different story.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between New Caledonia and France
Metric	New Caledonia	France	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	₣991.73 $7.04	€12.02 $14.00	-49.7%
Minimum wage /mo	₣167,602 $1,189.76	€1,823.03 $2,123.01	-44.0%
Minimum wage /yr	₣2,011,224 $14,277.08	€21,876.36 $25,476.14	-44.0%
Avg. gross salary /mo	N/A/mo	€3,500 /mo $4,075.93	—
Avg. net salary /mo	N/A/mo	€2,700 /mo $3,144.29	—
Median individual income /yr	N/A/yr	€24,000 /yr $27,949.23	—

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.
France: 35 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.25x pay

Legal workweek is 35 hours. Overtime: 25% premium for hours 36-43, 50% premium beyond 43 hours. Annual maximum 220 overtime hours unless collective agreement states otherwise.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	New Caledonia (USD)	France (USD)
2019	—	$12/hr
2020	—	$12/hr
2021	—	$12/hr
2022	—	$13/hr
2023	$6.80/hr	$13/hr
2024	$6.93/hr	$14/hr
2025	$7.04/hr	$14/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in New Caledonia earns 99% less per hour in USD terms than one in France. Standard work weeks differ: New Caledonia mandates 39 hours while France mandates 35 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in New Caledonia are $275 vs $490 in France.

See this comparison from France's perspective: France 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 South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr

New Caledonia vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr

New Caledonia vs Australia A$ 24.95 /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 France?

In New Caledonia, the minimum wage is ₣991.73/hr ($7.04 USD). In France, it is €12.02/hr ($14.00 USD). France has the higher rate by 99% 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 France?

New Caledonia has a longer standard work week at 39 hours, compared to 35 hours in France. Workers in New Caledonia work 39 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in France 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.