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Hourly minimum wages are a crucial aspect of the global labor market, reflecting the standard of living and economic conditions of each country. These wages, often set by governments or through collective bargaining, vary widely across nations due to differences in cost of living, economic development, and labor laws.
Click on to explore the hourly minimum wages from various countries.
Luxembourg offers one of the highest minimum wages in the world, with qualified workers earning €18.30/hour (US$19.80). For unqualified workers, the rate is €15.25/hour ($16.30). The average worker makes around €34/hour ($36.70).
Australia's minimum wage is AU$24.10/hour (US$15.80), with an average wage of AU$44/hour (US$28.90).
France's minimum wage is €11.88/hour (US$12.80), with average wages closer to €11.20/hour ($12.10). The country's strong worker protections and social model ensure a fair standard of living.
Germany offers a €12.82/hour (US$13.80) minimum wage. With average earnings at €26/hour ($28.30), it balances economic strength with social responsibility and worker rights.
Dutch workers earn at least €14.06/hour (US$15.10), while the national average hits €30/hour ($32.70).
UK workers over 21 earn £12.21/hour (US$15.90) minimum. Average wages climb to £19/hour ($24.70).
New Zealand’s minimum wage is NZ$23.50/hour (US$15.30), while the average wage is NZ$42.64/hour ($27.50). These wages ensure a fair standard of living.
Ireland's minimum wage is €13.50/hour (US$14.50), with average earnings reaching €29/hour ($31.60).
Belgium's minimum wage is €12.82/hour (US$13.70), with the average wage around €23.16/hour ($24.60). These wages are supported by strong unions, comprehensive social benefits, and strong worker protections.
Canada's federal minimum is CA$17.75/hour (US$12.50), while average wages are CA$36/hour ($25.34).
As of January 1, 2025, Portugal's minimum hourly wage is approximately €5.02 (US$5.54) for a standard 40-hour work week, based on a monthly minimum wage of €870 ($959.64). The average hourly wage in Portugal is around €11.11 ($12.25).
South Koreans earn a minimum ₩10,030/hour (US$6.79), with average wages around ₩25,000/hour ($16.92).
The US federal minimum wage is US$7.25/hour, unchanged since 2009. However, average hourly wages sit at $33.00.
Spain's minimum wage is €8.87/hour (US$9.79), while the average wage is around €15.38/hour ($16.97), reflecting regional disparities and ongoing efforts to improve wage equity.
Czech workers earn a minimum hourly wage of CZK 124 (US$5.43), with the average wage reaching CZK 260 ($11.39).
Greece's minimum hourly wage is approximately €5.19 (US$5.72), with a monthly minimum wage of €830 ($915.52) for employees working a standard 40-hour week.
This Baltic nation's minimum monthly wage is €1,038 (US$1,110). Assuming a standard 40-hour workweek, this equates to an approximate hourly rate of €6.35 ($7).
Brazil's minimum hourly wage is R$8.29 (US$1.65), with average wages between R$15.62 and R$17.56 ($3.10–$3.49). The monthly minimum wage is R$1,518 ($302).
Like in most Nordic countries, Sweden lacks a set minimum wage, with wages determined through collective bargaining. Workers often earn around SEK 130/hour (US$13.01) for entry-level roles, while average wages are closer to SEK 225/hour ($22.51).
Russia's minimum hourly wage is approximately 140 RUB (US$1.47), while the average hourly wage reaches around 803 RUB ($8.41).
Slovakia's minimum monthly wage is €816 (US$900), with a minimum hourly rate of €4.69 ($5.18).
Estonia's minimum wage is set at €886 (US$978) per month, which translates to an hourly rate of approximately €5.31 ($5.87) for a standard 40-hour workweek.
Costa Rica's minimum hourly wage ranges from approximately ₡12,237 (US$21) for unskilled workers to ₡15,984 ($28) for university graduates.
As of January 1, 2025, Poland's minimum monthly wage is PLN 4,666 (US$1,200), with a minimum hourly rate of PLN 30.50 ($7.85).
Iceland's minimum hourly wage is approximately ISK 2,230 ($17), while the average hourly wage is around ISK 3,800 ($28.96).
The South American nation's minimum hourly wage is approximately COP 7,900 (US$1,79), based on a monthly minimum wage of COP 1,423,500 ($322)
Hungary's minimum hourly wage is approximately HUF 1,672 (US$4.52), with the average hourly wage around HUF 4,175 ($11.28)
Latvia's minimum wage is €4.05/hour (US$4.47), with an average of €11/hour ($12.13).
Chile's minimum hourly wage is approximately CLP 2,840 (US$2.83), while the average hourly wage is around CLP 10,800 ($10.75).
Slovenia's minimum hourly wage is approximately €7.52 (US$8.29), with average hourly pay around €14.23 ($15.70).
Sources: (Euronews) (Playroll) (Eurostat)
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Hourly minimum wages are a crucial aspect of the global labor market, reflecting the standard of living and economic conditions of each country. These wages, often set by governments or through collective bargaining, vary widely between nations due to differences in cost of living, economic development, and labor laws.
Click on to explore the hourly minimum wages from various countries.