ILO · Statutory Minimum Wage
Minimum wage by country
What is the lowest monthly wage the law allows, in dollars of equal purchasing power?
Of the 152 countries compared in 2024, Switzerland had the highest reading, 3,804.4, and Burundi had the lowest reading, 4.0. In the middle country the figure was 657.9. Among the 85 countries measured in every edition since 2000, the middle one moved from 188.6 to 692.7.
Minimum wage · 2024
Context statistic
Highest of 152Switzerland
3,804.4012024 · values only
The highest and the lowest
The three countries with the highest values of 152 compared, the three with the lowest, and the highest on each continent. This statistic has no better end, so no country is shown as leading.
- 1
- 2
- 3
Highest on each continent
- Africa
Egypt863.1 - Americas
Canada2,324.1 - Asia
South Korea2,362.0 - EuropeSwitzerland3,804.4
- Oceania
Australia2,818.7 - Every region
02Every measured country
Minimum wage on a map
Each country is shaded by its value, in five groups holding the same number of countries. Hover a country for its value, or select it to open its profile. Below the map, each continent’s middle country.
Darker is a higher value. This statistic has no better end, so the shades describe size, not success.
- 4.0–252.0
- 252.3–529.3
- 543.5–826.3
- 843.0–1,553.9
- 1,584.3–3,804.4
- No reading in 2024 (15 measured in an earlier edition)
- Europe
1,706.5
the middle country, of 34 measured · 49 members
Switzerland3,804.4
Moldova598.0Highest and lowest reading in Europe.
- Americas
796.3
the middle country, of 30 measured · 48 members
Canada2,324.1
Haiti167.1Highest and lowest reading in Americas.
- Asia
516.9
the middle country, of 38 measured · 52 members
South Korea2,362.0
Georgia18.6Highest and lowest reading in Asia.
- Oceania
458.4
the middle country, of 9 measured · 21 members
Australia2,818.7
Solomon Islands219.0Highest and lowest reading in Oceania.
- Africa
235.1
the middle country, of 41 measured · 55 members
Egypt863.1
Burundi4.0Highest and lowest reading in Africa.
- Every region
22 sub-regions, highest middle country first
- Western Europe
2,902.0
the middle country, of 6 measured · 9 members
Switzerland3,804.4
France2,464.7Highest and lowest reading in Western Europe.
- Northern Europe
2,094.2
the middle country, of 6 measured · 13 members
United Kingdom2,902.1
Estonia1,269.2Highest and lowest reading in Northern Europe.
- Southern Europe
1,642.3
the middle country, of 12 measured · 17 members
San Marino2,339.2
Bosnia and Herzegovina850.1Highest and lowest reading in Southern Europe.
- Eastern Europe
1,271.2
the middle country, of 10 measured · 10 members
Poland2,141.4Moldova598.0Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Europe.
- Eastern Asia
1,186.4
the middle country, of 5 measured · 8 members
South Korea2,362.0
China543.5Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Asia.
- Central America
934.6
the middle country, of 8 measured · 8 members
Costa Rica1,093.2
Nicaragua565.0Highest and lowest reading in Central America.
- Caribbean
740.2
the middle country, of 11 measured · 24 members
Bahamas1,017.2Haiti167.1Highest and lowest reading in Caribbean.
- Western Asia
731.5
the middle country, of 14 measured · 19 members
Saudi Arabia2,125.0Georgia18.6Highest and lowest reading in Western Asia.
- South-eastern Asia
692.7
the middle country, of 7 measured · 11 members
Malaysia1,035.0
Timor-Leste252.3Highest and lowest reading in South-eastern Asia.
- South America
618.8
the middle country, of 9 measured · 12 members
Bolivia1,077.9
Suriname283.0Highest and lowest reading in South America.
- Northern Africa
553.2
the middle country, of 5 measured · 6 members
Egypt863.1
Algeria473.2Highest and lowest reading in Northern Africa.
- Southern Asia
386.0
the middle country, of 8 measured · 9 members
Pakistan570.5
Bhutan179.6Highest and lowest reading in Southern Asia.
- Middle Africa
238.5
the middle country, of 6 measured · 9 members
Gabon529.3
Central African Republic132.9Highest and lowest reading in Middle Africa.
- Eastern Africa
214.1
the middle country, of 12 measured · 19 members
Seychelles766.1Burundi4.0Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Africa.
- Western Africa
207.9
the middle country, of 15 measured · 16 members
Côte d’Ivoire320.3
Gambia67.0Highest and lowest reading in Western Africa.
- Australia and New Zealand
2 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.
Australia2,818.7
New Zealand2,673.2Highest and lowest reading in Australia and New Zealand.
- Central Asia
4 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.
Kazakhstan482.7
Kyrgyzstan91.1Highest and lowest reading in Central Asia.
- Melanesia
4 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu.
Fiji1,009.7Solomon Islands219.0Highest and lowest reading in Melanesia.
- Micronesia
2 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: Kiribati, Palau.
Palau888.8
Kiribati289.4Highest and lowest reading in Micronesia.
- Northern America
2 of 4 measured — too few for a middle: Canada, United States.
Canada2,324.1
United States1,257.0Highest and lowest reading in Northern America.
- Polynesia
1 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: Samoa.
Samoa440.1Highest and lowest reading in Polynesia.
- Southern Africa
3 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa.
South Africa620.2
Lesotho306.4Highest and lowest reading in Southern Africa.
03The whole field at once
The spread
152 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above 657.9; a quarter are above 1,257.6, and a quarter below 288.5. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.
04All 167 ever measured
Every country
In order, highest value first. No rank or position is shown: too many countries share the same value for an order to mean anything. Neither end is better, so no position is shown. A minimum wage is a legal setting, not an outcome: the right level depends on the wages around it, and some of the lowest figures belong to laws that have not been updated for decades and that nobody is actually paid. Not every figure is one national rate — where a country sets rates by region, sector or occupation, the downloadable data says which one the ILO took. Countries that set pay by collective agreement instead of by law do not appear.
Showing 25 of 167 countries
Values for 2024. The change column compares 2024 with 2023 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.
052000–2024 · 25 reference years
Over time
Each point is one year, in constant 2021 purchasing-power dollars. A rate the law leaves unchanged in local currency falls here as prices rise, which is how a minimum wage nobody updates loses its value.
- the middle country
- the middle half of countries
- the middle of the 85 countries measured every time
- each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
| Year | Countries | Middle country | Middle half | Measured every time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 152 | 657.9 | 288.5 – 1,257.6 | 692.7 |
| 2023 | 155 | 618.5 | 316.3 – 1,097.9 | 648.8 |
| 2022 | 158 | 556.4 | 258.7 – 986.1 | 589.5 |
| 2021 | 161 | 507.0 | 249.8 – 886.8 | 517.9 |
| 2020 | 161 | 491.1 | 269.5 – 837.2 | 524.3 |
| 2019 | 159 | 485.7 | 266.3 – 838.0 | 509.7 |
| 2018 | 158 | 460.5 | 248.4 – 789.9 | 474.6 |
| 2017 | 158 | 445.4 | 235.7 – 774.4 | 454.8 |
| 2016 | 153 | 436.4 | 241.5 – 696.5 | 441.1 |
| 2015 | 146 | 419.8 | 219.5 – 677.3 | 418.8 |
| 2014 | 144 | 395.6 | 206.2 – 646.4 | 405.5 |
| 2013 | 145 | 401.6 | 207.9 – 622.0 | 375.6 |
| 2012 | 137 | 372.7 | 205.6 – 601.1 | 367.0 |
| 2011 | 138 | 353.0 | 169.4 – 575.2 | 321.3 |
| 2010 | 133 | 302.8 | 148.4 – 554.6 | 312.1 |
| 2009 | 129 | 294.1 | 140.5 – 546.1 | 300.8 |
| 2008 | 127 | 270.8 | 136.7 – 542.3 | 282.6 |
| 2007 | 105 | 276.8 | 146.0 – 516.9 | 276.8 |
| 2006 | 103 | 238.2 | 125.0 – 499.0 | 244.4 |
| 2005 | 102 | 226.5 | 121.6 – 482.2 | 233.5 |
| 2004 | 101 | 236.9 | 122.2 – 482.8 | 236.9 |
| 2003 | 101 | 206.1 | 114.2 – 417.2 | 223.8 |
| 2002 | 96 | 202.8 | 112.1 – 411.7 | 219.2 |
| 2001 | 96 | 189.1 | 106.8 – 384.7 | 191.2 |
| 2000 | 94 | 167.1 | 99.2 – 387.7 | 188.6 |
062023 → 2024
Who rose and fell
The biggest changes in value between the two newest editions — reference years recalculated in one report, not two separate publications. Places are shown second, because they also move when other countries do.
Rose most
before → after152 countries were measured in both 2023 and 2024. The field changed from 155 to 152 countries, so a place can move for reasons that have nothing to do with the country itself.
07Across every edition
Minimum wage in records
The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.
Highest reading on record
3,804.4
Statutory minimum wage per month (2021 PPP $)
Lowest reading on record
1.7
Statutory minimum wage per month (2021 PPP $)
Biggest rise between editions
+582.7
1,130.3 → 1,713.0
Biggest fall between editions
−445.7
1,013.6 → 567.9
Biggest change since first measured
+2,140.7
761.5 → 2,902.1
Highest most often
17 of 25
editions, alone at the first-listed end
08The measure
About minimum wage
This is the lowest monthly wage the law allows an employer to pay, converted by the International Labour Organization into dollars of equal purchasing power, so that a legal pay floor set in pesos can be compared with one set in euros or rupees.
What the number is: Statutory minimum wage per month (2021 PPP $).
09Where it fits
Connections
Its part in the Country Index, the statistics whose values line up most closely with it across countries, and others on the same subject.
In the Country Index
Context, with no vote
This statistic is published in full under Economy & Innovation and Work & Labour, but does not help decide any Country Index standing.
Economy & InnovationWork & LabourWhich statistics vote, and why
Moves with
Where minimum wage is higher, these tend to be higher too.
- Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 138 countries in commonρ 0.86
- Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 135 countries in commonρ 0.86
- GNI per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 82 countries in commonρ 0.86
Moves against
Where minimum wage is higher, these tend to be lower.
- Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 151 countries in commonρ −0.81
- Under-Five Mortality RateKeyUN IGME · 151 countries in commonρ −0.79
- Employment in AgricultureILO · 142 countries in commonρ −0.79
Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 297 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.
10Keep reading
Explore further
The subject
The countries at either end
11Questions
Minimum wage: questions and answers
Which country has the highest minimum wage?
Switzerland, at 3,804.4, among the 152 countries compared in 2024.
Which country has the lowest minimum wage?
Burundi, at 4.0, among the 152 countries compared in 2024.
How many countries does the Statutory Minimum Wage cover?
152 in 2024, and 167 at least once across all editions. The number measured varies from 94 to 161 between editions.
What is the world average minimum wage?
This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 152 compared in 2024, the figure was 657.9.
Is this International Labour Organization (ILO)’s own ranking?
No ranking is shown. International Labour Organization (ILO) publishes values only, and too many countries share the same value for an ordering to mean anything, so none is derived.
How often is the Statutory Minimum Wage published?
This site holds 25 reference years, 2000–2024, all recalculated in International Labour Organization (ILO)’s 2026 report on one method — not 25 separate publications.
Where does the data come from, and can I download it?
From International Labour Organization (ILO), under CC BY 4.0. Read from ILOSTAT directly, in the 2021 purchasing-power dollars the ILO itself publishes beside local currency and US dollars. A few figures that the ILO’s own other columns show to be mistaken — a wage filed in the wrong currency, a monthly figure divided by twelve twice — are left out rather than corrected. Every edition is on this site’s Datasets pages as a full table, and downloads as a CSV file with every value unrounded.
12Method
Sources, method and citation
Source
Statutory Minimum Wage — International Labour Organization (ILO)
Read from ILOSTAT directly, in the 2021 purchasing-power dollars the ILO itself publishes beside local currency and US dollars. A few figures that the ILO’s own other columns show to be mistaken — a wage filed in the wrong currency, a monthly figure divided by twelve twice — are left out rather than corrected.
Newest edition
Report year 2024Data year 2024
Cite the source as: International Labour Organization. ILOSTAT. Geneva: ILO.
Licence: CC BY 4.0, checked 2026-09-29.
How this page reads the numbers
- No rank or position is shown: International Labour Organization (ILO) publishes values only, and too many countries share the same value for an ordering to mean anything.
- This statistic has no better end, so the page describes higher and lower values and never calls a country a leader.
- A country is named at an end only when it holds that value alone. Where several share it, the page says how many and names none first.
- Values are stored exactly as published and trimmed only for display. “The middle country” is the median of the countries measured, not a world average.
The file itself, column by column — where it came from, what each column holds, and every edition as a CSV — is on its dataset page.
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Minimum wage by country: Statutory Minimum Wage, data from International Labour Organization (ILO). https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/minimum-wage