How to Compare U.S. Minimum Wage With the World

Minimum wage is defined as the lowest hourly/daily/monthly rate legally allowed for employers to pay employees. Minimum wage varies from nation to nation, as well as from state to state, or province to province, within those nations.

U.S. Minimum Wage

• As of October 2010, the federal minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25/hour. Working a standard 40-hour week, that translates to $58/day, $290/week and $1,160/month.

European Minimum Wages

• American minimum wage rates are fairly comparable to their counterparts in western Europe. However, Americans trail behind the United Kingdom (US$8.93/hour), France (US$11/hour) and Switzerland, whose monthly minimum wage of SF2,800 equates to US$18.07/hour. Americans earn more than Eastern Europeans, as evidenced by Russia's equivalent rate of (US) 88 cents per hour. Those nations with higher minimum wage rates also have higher costs of living.

African/South American Minimum Wages

• A combination of inflated currency and low cost of living shows that South Americans and Africans earn far less minimum wage than Americans: Argentinians earn 1,070 pesos per month, or only $270 USD. Chile gives out 139,500 pesos per month, or $286/month USD. South Africa is 1,040 rands per month, or $150 USD.

Asian Minimum Wages

• American minimum wage rates are at least twice as much as Asian countries, especially those in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Indians earn 80 rupees per day or $0.23/hour USD; Chinese earn 800 Yuan Renminbi per month, or $0.75/hour USD. Japan is the only Asian country with a roughly equivalent rate: 618 yen per hour, or $7.59/hour USD.

North American Minimum Wage

• Canadians minimum wage of $9.5/hour CD translates to $9.21/hour USD, which is the only rate close to the U.S.'s. Mexico, the other major country in North America, pays 55 pesos per day, or $0.55/hour USD.