Minimum wages vary widely around the world, but comparing headline wage rates alone can obscure how much workers can actually buy with them.
This visualization, via Visual Capitalist's Dorothy Neufeld, compares monthly minimum wages using 2024 data from the International Labour Organization. Figures are expressed in purchasing power parity (PPP)-adjusted U.S. dollars, making wages more comparable based on what they can buy locally.
Where no single national minimum exists, ILOSTAT uses other applicable wage floors to make comparisons across countries.
The Countries With the Highest Minimum Wages
Switzerland tops the dataset at $3,804 per month, based on a regional rather than nationwide minimum wage. Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands follow at roughly $2,900. Eight of the top 10 countries are in Europe, while Australia and New Zealand are the only two outside the region.
South Korea stands out at $2,362, the highest figure in Asia. The U.S. sits much lower at $1,257 per month, ranking 25th overall. The ILO uses the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour rather than the $10.69 average state minimum in 2024.
RankCountryMonthly Minimum Wage, PPP-Adjusted 1🇨🇠Switzerland$3,804 2🇩🇪 Germany$2,928 3🇬🇧 UK$2,902 4🇳🇱 Netherlands$2,876 5🇦🇺 Australia$2,819 6🇧🇪 Belgium$2,752 7🇮🇸 Iceland$2,730 8🇳🇿 New Zealand$2,673 9🇫🇷 France$2,
