In 2025, the minimum hourly wage in Beijing was the highest in China at 26.4 yuan per hour. In the past decade, China has been shifting from a cheap labor driven economy to more matured, service-oriented markets and industries. While the economy continues to grow, prices and wages keep on increasing as well. How do wages differ across the country? China’s provinces and municipalities are divided into districts of different levels. Most provinces set different minimum wages for different districts depending on the cost of living and level of development. Usually, provincial capitals and major cities enjoy higher hourly wages than smaller towns and rural areas of the same province. In 2025, the highest minimum hourly wages in China were to be found in Beijing and Tianjin municipalities with 26.4 and 24.4 yuan respectively, whereas employees in Hainan province who received a minimum wage were paid the least – between 16.3 and 17.9 yuan per hour. Minimum monthly wages that year were the highest in Shanghai and the lowest in Qinghai province. The average annual salary in urban China was around 120,700 yuan in 2023. What are the prospects? Regional governments in China are required to update their minimum wages at least every few years. Hebei, Fujian, and Guangdong – provinces that have not adjusted minimum wages in the past two years – are likely to do so in 2025. Along with economic development, increasing living standards, increasing prices and a shrinking labor force, overall minimum wages will likely continue growing in China.

Wages in China increased to 120698 CNY/Year in 2023 from 114029 CNY/Year in 2022. This dataset provides - China Average Yearly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

China is the largest labor force market in the world. China’s economic prosperity wouldn’t exist without the large number of people working in this country. With increasing living standards and growing inflation, the wages of employees in China are increasing as well. As of 2022, average wages in China increased to114,029 yuan from 47,593 yuan in 2012.

Wage gap between regions

The wages vary in China depending on sector, position, gender and region like in any other country. Since China’s different regions have developed unequally, the wage gaps between people working in different regions can also be very large. This is a reason for no single minimum wage being set for the entire nation. The local governments set minimum wages based on local living standards. Considering the city tier, the wage standards are higher in cities with higher rankings. Shanghai and Beijing have the highest minimum wage standards in China. Although the minimum wages in China have been increasing, the standards are still lower than in developed countries.

Challenges of increasing labor costs

Increasing wages also make the labor force market less attractive. Affected by increasing labor costs and the China-United States trade war, many companies are transferring their investment destinations, especially in the manufacturing sector. Local governments are also taking measures to ensure the living costs remain at a reasonable level to retain companies and employees. These measures include regulating the residential housing market more strictly.

Wages in Manufacturing in China increased to 103932 CNY/Year in 2023 from 97528 CNY/Year in 2022. This dataset provides - China Average Yearly Wages in Manufacturing - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

China Average Wage: SOU: Manufacturing data was reported at 109,987.000 RMB in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 118,127.000 RMB for 2022. China Average Wage: SOU: Manufacturing data is updated yearly, averaging 9,072.000 RMB from Dec 1978 (Median) to 2023, with 46 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 118,127.000 RMB in 2022 and a record low of 663.000 RMB in 1978. China Average Wage: SOU: Manufacturing data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GC: Average Wage: by Industry: Urban State Owned Unit.

Average Wage: On Duty: Guangxi: Beihai data was reported at 90,759.650 RMB in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 85,954.000 RMB for 2021. Average Wage: On Duty: Guangxi: Beihai data is updated yearly, averaging 24,761.280 RMB from Dec 1996 (Median) to 2022, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 90,759.650 RMB in 2022 and a record low of 5,650.000 RMB in 1996. Average Wage: On Duty: Guangxi: Beihai data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Beihai Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GG: Average Wage: On Duty: Prefecture Level City.

The statistic shows the average annual salary of employees working for urban non-private companies and organizations in China between 2013 and 2023, by geographic region. In 2023, the average income of an employee working at an urban unit in West China ranged at approximately 108,000 yuan per year.

Average Wage: Urban Non-private: On Duty: Hainan data was reported at 116,686.000 RMB in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 107,795.000 RMB for 2022. Average Wage: Urban Non-private: On Duty: Hainan data is updated yearly, averaging 45,573.000 RMB from Dec 2003 (Median) to 2023, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 116,686.000 RMB in 2023 and a record low of 10,397.000 RMB in 2003. Average Wage: Urban Non-private: On Duty: Hainan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GC: Average Wage: On Duty.

Average Wage: Guizhou: South Guizhou data was reported at 94,821.000 RMB in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 92,881.000 RMB for 2022. Average Wage: Guizhou: South Guizhou data is updated yearly, averaging 57,270.000 RMB from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2023, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 94,821.000 RMB in 2023 and a record low of 14,054.000 RMB in 2005. Average Wage: Guizhou: South Guizhou data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by South Guizhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GP: Average Wage: Prefecture Level Region.

Average Wage: On Duty: Guangdong: Chaozhou data was reported at 85,052.000 RMB in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 83,437.000 RMB for 2020. Average Wage: On Duty: Guangdong: Chaozhou data is updated yearly, averaging 20,600.985 RMB from Dec 1996 (Median) to 2021, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 85,052.000 RMB in 2021 and a record low of 6,200.000 RMB in 1996. Average Wage: On Duty: Guangdong: Chaozhou data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Chaozhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GG: Average Wage: On Duty: Prefecture Level City.

In 2023, the average annual wage of employees in Beijing municipality in China amounted to approximately 188.4 thousand yuan. The average nominal wage more than doubled over the last decade.

Average Wage: On Duty: Heilongjiang: Heihe data was reported at 72,607.000 RMB in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 68,513.000 RMB for 2021. Average Wage: On Duty: Heilongjiang: Heihe data is updated yearly, averaging 18,761.770 RMB from Dec 1996 (Median) to 2022, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 72,607.000 RMB in 2022 and a record low of 4,019.000 RMB in 1996. Average Wage: On Duty: Heilongjiang: Heihe data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Heihe Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GG: Average Wage: On Duty: Prefecture Level City.

This statistic shows the average yearly wage growth in China from 2010 to 2021. As of 2021, the average wages in China increased by 9.7 percent compared to the previous year.

Average Wage: On Duty: Anhui: Hefei data was reported at 117,760.000 RMB in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 111,672.000 RMB for 2021. Average Wage: On Duty: Anhui: Hefei data is updated yearly, averaging 34,143.620 RMB from Dec 1996 (Median) to 2022, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 117,760.000 RMB in 2022 and a record low of 5,851.000 RMB in 1996. Average Wage: On Duty: Anhui: Hefei data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Hefei Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GG: Average Wage: On Duty: Prefecture Level City.

Average Wage: On Duty: Inner Mongolia: Hohhot data was reported at 109,512.969 RMB in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 95,460.000 RMB for 2021. Average Wage: On Duty: Inner Mongolia: Hohhot data is updated yearly, averaging 33,992.830 RMB from Dec 1996 (Median) to 2022, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 109,512.969 RMB in 2022 and a record low of 4,597.000 RMB in 1996. Average Wage: On Duty: Inner Mongolia: Hohhot data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Hohhot Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GG: Average Wage: On Duty: Prefecture Level City.

This statistic shows the provincial capitals and cities in China with the highest average wage in 2022. At this time, the average wage in non-private companies in Beijing was around 215,100 yuan per annum.

92.296 (Yuan) in 2021. Average Wage refers to the average per capita wage in money terms during a certain period of time for employed persons. It shows the general level of wage income of staff and worker during a certain period of time, one major indicator to reflect the wage level. It is calculated as follows: average wage = total wage bill of employed persons at reference time / averaged number of persons employed at reference time. This indicator includes average wage of employed persons only in urban units.

Average Wage: On Duty: Guangdong: Zhuhai data was reported at 133,869.000 RMB in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 126,132.000 RMB for 2022. Average Wage: On Duty: Guangdong: Zhuhai data is updated yearly, averaging 33,084.240 RMB from Dec 1996 (Median) to 2023, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 133,869.000 RMB in 2023 and a record low of 12,259.000 RMB in 1996. Average Wage: On Duty: Guangdong: Zhuhai data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GG: Average Wage: On Duty: Prefecture Level City.

This statistic shows the average yearly wages in the manufacturing sector in China from 2012 to 2022. In 2022, the average wages in manufacturing in China increased to approximately 97,500 yuan from 92,500 yuan in the previous year.

Average Wage: Private Enterprise: Shanghai data was reported at 111,347.000 RMB in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 104,560.000 RMB for 2022. Average Wage: Private Enterprise: Shanghai data is updated yearly, averaging 47,177.000 RMB from Dec 2009 (Median) to 2023, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 111,347.000 RMB in 2023 and a record low of 21,497.000 RMB in 2009. Average Wage: Private Enterprise: Shanghai data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GC: Average Wage: Region.