Highest minimum wages
Statutory minimum hourly wage in USD at current exchange rates. Australia, Luxembourg and Switzerland alternate top spot depending on the EUR-USD rate.
Headline finding
Australia leads the world for highest minimum wages at $16.40 USD per hour.
The full top 25: Highest minimum wages
Click any country to read its full profile.
- 1 Australia $16.40
- 2 Luxembourg $16.10
- 3 New Zealand $14.20
- 4 Ireland $14.10
- 5 United Kingdom $13.90
- 6 Germany $13.50
- 7 Netherlands $13.20
- 8 Belgium $13.00
- 9 France $12.80
- 10 Canada $12.40
- 11 South Korea $7.80
- 12 Spain $8.40
- 13 Slovenia $7.90
- 14 United States $7.25
- 15 Japan $7.10
- 16 Israel $7.50
- 17 Cyprus $5.90
- 18 Portugal $5.70
- 19 Taiwan $6.10
- 20 Lithuania $6.40
- 21 Poland $5.20
- 22 Malta $5.60
- 23 Greece $5.30
- 24 Chile $3.40
- 25 Turkey $2.90
What the numbers show
Australia's lead at the top of this ranking is 1.9% above the second-place country — a margin tight enough that the top spot has changed hands within the last five years and could change again.
The five countries leading the table — Australia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom — together set the global benchmark. The next 20 countries fill the rest of the table, with Turkey anchoring the list at $2.90.
Figures are drawn from OECD Earnings Database 2024. We use this source because it produces a single, internally consistent dataset rather than aggregating from national statistics offices, which makes year-on-year comparison reliable. The next update is expected when the source publishes its next annual release — see the methodology section below for which year of data is currently shown.
Methodology and caveats
- What this measures
- USD per hour
- Source
- OECD Earnings Database 2024
- Coverage
- Top 25 countries shown. Full source dataset covers all 195 sovereign states where data is available.
- Refresh cadence
- Updated annually as the source publishes new figures, typically autumn or spring.
- Known caveat
- Country definitions follow the source: where the UN, the World Bank and the CIA Factbook disagree on borders or recognition, we use the figure as published rather than reconciling between bodies. Comparisons across rankings should be made with this in mind.
Frequently asked
Which country tops the ranking for minimum wages?
Australia leads with $16.40 USD per hour. Luxembourg is second at $16.10, with New Zealand in third place. Full top-10 with sources is above.
What's the source for the minimum wages ranking?
The figures come from OECD Earnings Database 2024. We use this source because it publishes a complete country-by-country dataset using consistent methodology — the alternative of mixing national statistics offices would compromise comparability. Updated annually with the latest available vintage of the data.
How often are the minimum wages figures updated?
Once a year, in line with the source institution's publishing schedule. Major institutions like the World Bank, IMF and UNESCO publish annual updates in different months — typically autumn or spring — and the figures here reflect the most recently published vintage. The source footer on the ranking table shows which year's data is currently displayed.