New Caledonia New Zealand

Updated 2026-05-04

New Caledonia

Minimum Wage

₣991.73 /hr

$7.04 USD

New Zealand

Minimum Wage

NZ$23.50 /hr

$13.99 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

NZ$5,666.67 /mo

Min wage: -50% New Caledonia vs New Zealand

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

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between New Caledonia and New Zealand
Metric	New Caledonia	New Zealand	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	₣991.73 $7.04	NZ$23.50 $13.99	-49.7%
Minimum wage /mo	₣167,602 $1,189.76	NZ$4,073.83 $2,425.77	-51.0%
Minimum wage /yr	₣2,011,224 $14,277.08	NZ$48,880 $29,105.63	-50.9%
Avg. gross salary /mo	N/A/mo	NZ$5,666.67 /mo $3,374.22	—
Avg. net salary /mo	N/A/mo	NZ$4,533.33 /mo $2,699.37	—
Median individual income /yr	N/A/yr	NZ$61,828 /yr $36,815.53	—

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.
New Zealand: 40 hrs/wk standard

Overtime : 1.5x pay

No statutory maximum working hours, but employers must ensure reasonable working hours. Most employment agreements specify 40 hours/week. Overtime rates not mandated by statute but commonly 1.5x by agreement. Time-and-a-half and a day in lieu required for work on public holidays.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

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

Year	New Caledonia (USD)	New Zealand (USD)
2019	—	$11/hr
2020	—	$11/hr
2021	—	$12/hr
2022	—	$13/hr
2023	$6.80/hr	$14/hr
2024	$6.93/hr	$14/hr
2025	$7.04/hr	—

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in New Caledonia earns 99% less per hour in USD terms than one in New Zealand. Standard work weeks differ: New Caledonia mandates 39 hours while New Zealand mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in New Caledonia are $275 vs $560 in New Zealand.

See this comparison from New Zealand's perspective: New Zealand 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 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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in New Caledonia or New Zealand?

In New Caledonia, the minimum wage is ₣991.73/hr ($7.04 USD). In New Zealand, it is NZ$23.50/hr ($13.99 USD). New Zealand 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 New Zealand?

New Zealand has a longer standard work week at 40 hours, compared to 39 hours in New Caledonia. Workers in New Caledonia work 39 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.