Minimum Wage by Country in 2026: A Guide for Global Employers

You want to grow globally? Smart move. The global marketplace offers incredible talent, untapped markets to explore, and yes—some pretty appealing tax breaks.

But what keeps global hiring managers up at night is minimum wage rules. Every country has them and enforces them differently. Getting them wrong is how you end up with fines, reputation damage, or worse.

When you’re building a global team, understanding what you should pay people isn’t just about compliance—it’s about planning. You need real numbers to budget properly and make smart hiring decisions. (Our employee cost calculator can help you estimate the total costs of hiring around the globe, too.)

This guide breaks down minimum wage requirements by country and region, so you know what you’re working with. Plus, we’ll show you how partnering with a global expert takes the compliance headaches off your plate—so you can focus on finding great people, not memorizing international labor laws.

10 countries with the highest minimum wages

Minimum wage requirements vary drastically worldwide. Below is a list of countries that offer the highest minimum wages in the world.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg offers the highest minimum wage of any country worldwide at US$3,670 (€3,165) per month for skilled talent over the age of 18.

Unskilled talent and talent under the age of 18 receive a lower monthly minimum wage:

• Unskilled workers 18 years of age and older: US$3,051 (€2,638)
• 17 to 18 years of age: US$2,446 (€2,110)
• 15 to 17 years of age: US$2,293. (€1,978)

The Netherlands

The Netherlands’ hourly minimum wage is US$16.70 (€14.40). The Government of the Netherlands no longer mandates a daily, weekly, or monthly minimum wage, leaving it up to employers to agree on a fixed number of working hours per week. Talent under the age of 21 receives a lower minimum wage:

• Age 20: US$13.36 (€11.52)
• Age 19: US$10.02 (€8.64)
• Age 18: US$8.35 (€7.20)
• Age 17: US$6.60 (€5.69)
• Age 16: US$5.76 (€4.97)
• Age 15: US$5.01 (€4.32)

New Zealand

New Zealand’s minimum wage is US$13.38 (NZ$23.50) per hour for workers 16 years of age and older, or about US$2,335 (NZ$4,070) per month.

The minimum wage for New Zealanders in training or starting a new job is US$10.71 (NZ$18.80) per hour, or about US$1,868 (NZ$3,256) per month.

Australia

Australia’s minimum wage is US$16.26 (AU$24.95) per hour for adults over the age of 21 or about US$2,830 (AU$4,321) per month.

Germany

Germany’s hourly minimum wage is US$14.86 (€12.82), or US$2,576 (€2,220) per month.

U.K.

The U.K. applies two minimum wage structures: the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage.

• From April 2025 through March 2026, the National Living Wage guarantees US$16.16 (£12.21) per hour to talent 21 years of age and older, or roughly US$2,801 (£2,115) per month. In April 2026, the National Living Wage will increase to US$16.82 (£12.71) per hour or US$2,915 (£2,201) per month, applicable to talent aged 21 and over.

As of April 2025, the U.K. National Minimum Wage is the following:

• Apprentice rate: US$9.99 (£7.55) per hour, approximately US$1,733 (£1,308) per month
• Under 18: US$9.99 (£7.55) per hour, approximately US$1,733 (£1,308) per month
• 18-20 years of age: US$13.24 (£10.00) per hour, approximately US$2,292 (£1,732) per month

Also, as of April 2025, the minimum wage per hour is US$9.99 (£7.55) for anyone under 19 years of age working as an apprentice or over 19 and in their first year of apprenticeship.

Belgium

Belgium’s monthly minimum wage is US$2,448.97 (€2,111.89).

Ireland

Ireland’s hourly minimum wage is US$15.65 (£13.50), or US$2,713 (€2,338) per month, for talent 20 years of age and older. Talent under the age of 20 receives a lower minimum wage:

• Age 19: €12.15 per hour (90% of adult rate), approximately €2,104 (US$2,441) per month
• Age 18: €10.80 per hour (80% of adult rate), approximately €1,728 (US$2,004) per month
• Under 18: €9.45 per hour (70% of adult rate), approximately €1,636 (US$1,898) per month

Canada

Previously, Canadian employers were only subject to the minimum wage requirements of the province or territory where they operated.

However, in December 2021, Canada adopted a nationwide basic federal minimum wage of US$10.68 (CA$15.00) per hour for employees in federally regulated private industries, such as banking, postal services, and interprovincial transportation.

Today, the federal hourly minimum wage in Canada is US$12.64 (CA$17.75), or about US$2,220 (CA$3,074) per month.

France

The minimum wage in France is US$13.51 (€11.65) per hour or US$2,341 (€2,018) per month.

Israel

Israel offers a different minimum wage for hourly, daily, and monthly wages. The hourly minimum wage in the country is US$10.50 (ILS 34.32) for employees who work five days a week.

Daily employees who work five days per week earn a minimum of US$90.99 (ILS297.50) per day, and those who work six days per week earn a minimum of US$76.46 (ILS250) per day. Employees who earn a monthly wage are guaranteed a monthly minimum of US$1,910.88 (ILS₪6,247.67).

U.S.

The national minimum wage in the U.S. is US$7.25 per hour or about US$1,256 per month. However, states may set minimum wages above the federal floor level at their own discretion.

For example, Washington state offers the highest minimum wage of all 50 U.S. states at US$16.66 per hour or about US$2,886 per month.

10 countries with the lowest minimum wages

Below is a list of countries that offer the lowest minimum wages in the world.

India

India’s minimum wage is US$2.13 (INR 178) per day or US$64 (INR 5,340) per month. However, minimum wages vary depending on skillset, industry, and place of employment.

Nigeria

Nigeria’s minimum wage is one of the lowest in the world, at US$48.37 (NGN 70,000) per month.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s monthly minimum wage is US$106.81 (UZS 1,271,000.

Pakistan

Pakistan’s monthly minimum wage is US$114.08 (PKR 32,000).

Armenia

Armenia’s monthly minimum wage is US$196.79 (AMD 75,000).

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s monthly minimum wage is US$222.03 (KZT 85,000).

The Philippines

The minimum wage in the Philippines varies by region (and within region, depending on industry). Non-Agriculture employees in Cotabato City in the ARMM (Mindanao) Region, for example, earn US$6.56 (PHP 386) per day or US$142.55 (PHP 8,356) per month. Meanwhile, in the National Capital Region, Non-Agriculture employees earn US$11.82 (PHP 695) per day or US$257 (PHP 15,047) per month.

Ukraine

Ukraine’s monthly minimum wage is US$188.95 (UAH 8,000).

Vietnam

Vietnam applies two minimum wage structures: the common monthly minimum wage for government employees and the Regional Minimum Wage for everyone else.

The common monthly minimum wage applies to public employees only and amounts to US$88.72 (VND 2,340,000).

The Regional Minimum Wage applies to private employees and ranges from US$140.28 (VND 3,700,000) to US$201.32 (VND 5,307,798 per month, depending on the region.

Indonesia

Monthly minimum wages in Indonesia vary by province, ranging from US$130 (IDR 2,169,349) in Central Java to US$324 (IDR 5,396,761) in DKI Jakarta.

Read more: The Complete Guide to Employee Cost

Minimum wages by region

Below, we list countries with the highest and lowest monthly minimum wages in each region of the world.

Europe

Highest minimum wages

• Luxembourg: US$3,670 (€3,165)
• Netherlands: US$2,894 (€2,494)
• Ireland: US$2,713 (€2,338)
• Germany: US$2,380 (€2,051)
• U.K.: US$2,801 (£2,115)
• Belgium: US$2,448.97 (€2,111.89)

Lowest minimum wages

• North Macedonia: US$679.15 (MKD 36,037)
• Albania: US$479.90 (ALL 40,000)
• Bulgaria: US$638.83 (BGN 1,077)
• Turkey: US$612.68 (TRY 26,005.50)
• Romania: US$923.60 (RON 4,050)

Asia

Highest minimum wages

• South Korea: US$1,430 (KRW 2,096,270)
• Japan: US$1,359-1,385 (JPY 212,000–216,000 in Tokyo)
• Taiwan: US$913 (TWD 28,590)
• Hong Kong: US$1,063 (HKD 8,314)
• China: US$387 (CNY 2,740 in Shanghai)

Lowest minimum wages

• Kyrgyzstan: US$33 (KGS 2,865)
• Sri Lanka: US$88 (LKR 27,000)
• India: Depends on the industry, region, and skill level
• Myanmar: US$97 (MMK 202,800)
• Tajikistan: US$86 (JS 800)

Latin and South America

Highest minimum wages

• Costa Rica: US$738 (CRC 367,108)
• Uruguay: US$594 (UYU 23,604)
• Chile: US$571 (CLP 529,000)
• Ecuador: US$470

Lowest minimum wages

• Venezuela: US$0.53 (VES 130)
• Argentina: depends on the industry and the election of retirement benefits
• Nicaragua: depends on the industry
• Peru: US$336 (PEN 1,130)
• Dominican Republic: US$25.75 (DOP 15,860.32)

Africa

Highest minimum wages

• Tunisia: US$152 (TND 448)
• Cape Verde: US$178 (CVE 17,000)
• Algeria: US$153 (DZD 20,000)
• South Africa: US$291.40 (ZAR 4,986.42)
• Mauritius: US$368 (MUR 17,110)

Lowest minimum wages

• Tanzania: depends on the location and industry
• Ghana: US$47 (GHS 539)
• Angola: US$55 (AOA 50,000,000)
• Madagascar: depends on the industry

Oceania

Highest minimum wages

• New Zealand: US$2,335 (NZ$4,070)
• Australia: US$2,830 (AU$4,321)
• New Caledonia: US$1,623 (CFP 167,602)

Lowest minimum wages

• Kiribati: US$147 (AUS 225)
• Papua New Guinea: US$143 (PGK 606)
• Solomon Islands: US$168 (SBD 1,385)
• Samoa: US$300 (WST 838)
• Fiji: US$379 (FJD 866)

North America

Highest minimum wages

• Canada: US$2,022 (CAD 2,840)
• U.S.: US$1,218
• Mexico: depends on the industry and region

Source: Wage Indicator

Countries without statutory minimum wages

Below is a list of countries that offer no minimum wage guarantees to their workforce. In many of these countries, employers set wages according to relevant collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) or union regulations within their industry.

Denmark

The average minimum monthly salary in Denmark is about US$2,375 (DKK 15,300) per month.

CBAs establish minimum wages for about 82% of the Danish workforce, including most employees in the public sector and certain private industries, such as construction and hospitality.

El Salvador

El Salvador does not have a nationally mandated minimum wage. Instead, the country has minimum wages that vary across sectors. The minimum wage in El Salvador ranges from US$305 to US$402 per month, depending on the industry.

Finland

The average minimum monthly salary in Finland is about US$1,566 (€1,350). CBAs establish minimum wages for about 91% of the Finnish workforce.

Iceland

The average minimum monthly salary in Iceland is about US$2,027 (ISK 259,350). CBAs establish minimum wages for about 90% of Iceland’s workforce.

Italy

The average monthly wage for workers in Italy is $US3,136 (€2,704), but this varies significantly by region, with workers in the south tending to receive less. There is no reliable data on the average minimum monthly salary in Italy. CBAs establish minimum wages for around 95% of Italy’s workforce.

Norway

The average minimum monthly salary in Norway is about US$1,975 (NOK 20,000) after tax.

The federal government establishes minimum wages for nine select industries, including construction, agriculture, and fishing. That leaves workers’ unions to establish minimum wages for all other industries.

Singapore

While there is no statutory minimum wage, the Singapore government has highlighted a “reasonable starting point” for a living wage of $2,243 (SGD 2,906) per month.

Singapore’s Progressive Wage Model (PWM) establishes minimum wages in specific industries, such as retail, cleaning, and security. However, in other sectors, employers usually agree on wages with relevant trade unions or employees during the hiring process.

Sweden

The average minimum wage in Sweden is about US$1,885 (SEK 17,800) per month. Collective bargaining agreements in Sweden generally include minimum wage agreements, which vary widely between roles and industries.

Switzerland

The average minimum monthly salary in Switzerland depends on the city or region. For instance, in Geneva, the minimum wage rate is US$30.48 (CHF 24.48) per hour or about US$5,279 (CHF 4,240) per month.

FAQs

What country has the highest minimum wage in the world?

Luxembourg at US$3,670 (€3,165).

What country pays the lowest minimum wage?

On the surface, it seems like a simple question. But it’s actually quite difficult to answer, given that minimum wage datasets track different metrics (hourly vs. monthly, skill level, age, region, industry, etc.) and, therefore, cannot be easily compared.

That said, Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Tanzania are repeatedly cited among the lowest, with official monthly floors often under about US$50 at market exchange rates.

How often do countries update their minimum wage laws?

It varies greatly. The U.S. has not updated its federal minimum wage since 2009. The Netherlands updates it twice a year.

Do all countries have a statutory minimum wage?

Most do. Some, like Italy and Iceland, do not.

Stay on top of global minimum wage laws—without the headaches

Trying to track minimum wage changes across multiple countries is like playing whack-a-mole with labor laws. Just when you think you’ve got it covered, another country updates its rates, and suddenly you’re scrambling to stay current.

Here’s what happens when you get it wrong: back pay, fines, and work authorization issues that slow down your hiring. Not exactly the global expansion experience you were planning for.

That’s where Pebl comes in. As your Employer of Record (EOR) service, we handle the legal maze so you don’t have to. We take care of hiring, onboarding, payroll, and all those minimum wage rules across 185+ countries. You get to focus on building great teams while we handle the compliance details.

Our local expertise means you can hire talent anywhere without wondering if you’re following the rules correctly. We know the minimum wage laws, the employment regulations, and how they work in practice—so you can recruit confidently in any market.

Want to expand globally without the compliance stress? Get in touch to see how we make international hiring straightforward.

This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or tax advice and is for general informational purposes only. The intent of this document is solely to provide general and preliminary information for private use. Do not rely on it as an alternative to legal, financial, taxation, or accountancy advice from an appropriately qualified professional. The content in this guide is provided “as is,” and no representations are made that the content is error-free.

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