Statutory minimum wages in 72 countries, converted to an hourly and a full-time monthly figure in U.S. dollars and Japanese yen. Australia ranks first at $18.62 an hour; Japan is #16 at $7.48 (¥1,177) and the U.S. federal minimum is #17 at $7.25. Exchange rates as of Nov 1, 2026 ($1 = ¥157.25).
Hourly in dollars · Adjusted for prices (PPP) · 10-year growth · Full table
Converted with purchasing power parities instead of exchange rates, so each figure shows what the minimum wage buys locally, in international dollars (U.S. price level).
Change in the local-currency minimum wage, adjusted for each country's consumer-price inflation. Negative values mean the minimum wage lost purchasing power.
Click a column heading to sort. Monthly figures assume each country's standard full-time week; countries paying 14 salaries a year are averaged over 12 months. Ranks are out of all 72 countries.
| # | Country | Hourly (USD) | Hourly (JPY) | Monthly (USD) | PPP $/hr | 10-yr trend | 10-yr real growth | Local rate | Change | Effective | Next increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia Oceania · National Minimum Wage (A$1,004.90 a week) |
$18.62 | ¥2,927 | $3,065 | $18.61 | +9.9% nominal +49.4% |
AUD 26.44 per hour | +6.0% | Jul 1, 2026 | — | |
| 9 | New Zealand Oceania · Adult rate |
$13.51 | ¥2,125 | $2,342 | $16.15 | +13.2% nominal +57.0% |
NZD 23.95 per hour | +1.9% | Apr 1, 2026 | — |
Each country's statutory minimum wage (the national rate; for countries that set rates by region or sector, the main region or sector shown in the note) is converted to an hourly and a full-time monthly figure. Monthly = hourly rate × standard weekly hours × 52 ÷ 12; daily rates × working days per month; monthly rates as set (averaged over 12 months where 14 salaries are paid, as in Spain, Greece and Portugal). Where a separate official hourly or monthly rate exists (Taiwan, South Korea, France and others), that rate is used. Japan uses the national weighted average of prefectural rates; the United States uses the federal rate.
"PPP $/hr" converts the hourly rate with the IMF's purchasing power parity for 2026 instead of the exchange rate. "10-year growth" runs from the rate in force on 31 December 2016 to today; the real figure removes consumer-price inflation (IMF, 2017–2026, 2026 projected). The trend line shows the rate on 31 December of each year in local currency.
Figures are before tax and social insurance. Exchange rates are updated daily. Minimum wage by U.S. state and Japanese prefecture → · 日本語：世界の最低賃金ランキング →