Uruguay was the Latin American country with the highest average monthly salary as of 2024, with a net value of around ***** U.S. dollars per month, followed by Costa Rica, with *** U.S. dollars per month. Employment development areas in Latin America Following the recuperation in this sector after the job losses endured throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate persists in its endeavor to stabilize. Informal employment remains as the predominant actor across most Latin American countries, serving as a primary avenue for economic sustenance. Notably, the construction sector has experienced substantial growth, outpacing other relevant industries like tourism and hospitality. Poverty Throughout the past two decades, poverty levels in Latin America remain unchanged. Honduras takes the lead as the country bearing the highest poverty rate, with nearly half of its population dwelling in these circumstances. Across the region, the prevalent delineation is that of individuals classified within the non-extreme and lower-middle poverty strata, characterized by modest income levels.

Costa Rica is the country with the highest minimum monthly wage in Latin America. According to the minimum salary established by law as of January 2025, workers in the Central American country enjoy a basic monthly wage of over 726 U.S. dollars, an increase of 2.37 percent compared to the previous year. They also earn over 200 U.S. dollars more than the second place, Uruguay. On the other side of the spectrum is Venezuela, where employees are only guaranteed by law a minimum salary of 130 bolívares or little more than 2.50 dollars per month. Can Latin Americans survive on a minimum wage? Even if most countries in Latin America have instated laws to guarantee citizens a basic income, these minimum standards are often not enough to meet household needs. For instance, it was estimated that almost 25 million people in Mexico lacked basic housing services. Salary levels also vary greatly among Latin American economies. In 2020, the average net monthly salary in Mexico was barely higher than Chile's minimum wage in 2021. What can a minimum wage afford in Latin America? Latin American real wages have generally risen in the past decade. However, consumers in this region still struggle to afford non-basic goods, such as tech products. Recent estimates reveal that, in order to buy an iPhone, Brazilian residents would have to work at least two months to be able to pay for it. A gaming console, on the other hand, could easily cost a Latin American worker several minimum wages.

This statistic presents a timeline with the real growth of average wages in Latin America and the Caribbean from 2006 to 2017. The source estimated that average salaries in the region had increased 0.7 percent in 2017, compared to the previous year.

Explore the progression of average salaries for graduates in Latin America And Iberian Cultures from 2020 to 2023 through this detailed chart. It compares these figures against the national average for all graduates, offering a comprehensive look at the earning potential of Latin America And Iberian Cultures relative to other fields. This data is essential for students assessing the return on investment of their education in Latin America And Iberian Cultures, providing a clear picture of financial prospects post-graduation.

In 2023, four Caribbean nations were the countries with the highest gross national income per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean. On average, the national gross income amounted to around 31,990 U.S. dollars per person in the Bahamas, an island country which also had one of the highest gross domestic product per capita in this region. Outside the Caribbean Excluding the Caribbean, the economies with the highest national income per capita are generally located in South America, with the exceptions of Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico. Guyana leads among continental states with a national income of around 20.360 U.S. dollars per person. Gross national income (GNI) is the aggregated sum of the value added by residents in an economy, plus net taxes (minus subsidies) and net receipts of primary income from abroad. The biggest economies Brazil and Mexico are still miles ahead in the race for the biggest economy of Latin America. As of 2023, both nations exceeded the two trillion U.S. dollars mark in their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While Argentina's GDP, third place, slightly surpassed the 600 billion U.S. dollars. Nonetheless, both nations also ranked as the most populated by far in the region.

Explore the progression of average salaries for graduates in Latin American History from 2020 to 2023 through this detailed chart. It compares these figures against the national average for all graduates, offering a comprehensive look at the earning potential of Latin American History relative to other fields. This data is essential for students assessing the return on investment of their education in Latin American History, providing a clear picture of financial prospects post-graduation.

Graph and download economic data for 12-Month Moving Average of Unweighted Median Hourly Wage Growth for the West South Central Census Division (FRBATLWGT12MMUMHWGWSCCD) from Dec 1997 to May 2025 about West South Central Census Division, growth, moving average, 1-year, average, wages, median, and USA.

According to a recent study, Colombia had the lowest monthly cost of living in Latin America with 546 U.S. dollars needed for basic living. In contrast, four countries had a cost of living above one thousand dollars, Costa Rica, Chile, Panama and Uruguay. In 2022, the highest minimum wage in the region was recorded by Ecuador with 425 dollars per month.

Can Latin Americans survive on a minimum wage? Even if most countries in Latin America have instated laws to guarantee citizens a basic income, these minimum standards are often not enough to meet household needs. For instance, it was estimated that almost 22 million people in Mexico lacked basic housing services. Salary levels also vary greatly among Latin American economies. In 2022, the average net monthly salary in Brazil was lower than Ecuador's minimum wage.

What can a minimum wage afford in Latin America? Latin American real wages have generally risen in the past decade. However, consumers in this region still struggle to afford non-basic goods, such as tech products. Recent estimates reveal that, in order to buy an iPhone, Brazilian residents would have to work more than two months to be able to pay for it. A gaming console, on the other hand, could easily cost a Latin American worker several minimum wages.

Between January and March 2024, the average income for women working in Lima, Peru amounted to around 1,658 Peruvian soles per month. In turn, the average monthly income for men stood at 2,249.4 Peruvian soles, about 591 soles more than women.

Average salaries in Lima, Peru According to the employment survey carried out by Peru's National Statistics Institute (INEI, for its acronym in Spanish), the average income of legal workers based in the Peruvian capital does not only vary by gender but also among different age groups and economic sectors. For instance, an employee aged 45 or more can earn around 66 percent more a worker who is up to 24 years old. In turn, service sector workers have higher monthly salaries than employees in manufacture or retail.

Employment in Peru More than half the working population in Peru is considered self-employed, one of the highest shares in Latin America. Even though Peru's unemployment rate has remained below four percent since 2009 (except for 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic), the share of people out of employment in Lima was considerably higher than the national average.

How much do software development professionals earn in Latin America? Among the presented countries, software developers in Panama had the highest median annual salary, amounting to 50 thousand U.S. dollars.

Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: South Kalimantan data was reported at 2,772,444.000 IDR in Feb 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,701,895.000 IDR for Aug 2018. Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: South Kalimantan data is updated semiannually, averaging 2,135,104.000 IDR from Feb 2008 (Median) to Feb 2019, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,772,444.000 IDR in Feb 2019 and a record low of 1,109,325.000 IDR in Feb 2008. Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: South Kalimantan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Central Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Indonesia Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table ID.GBB006: Monthly Average Wage: Net: by Province.

Four of the selected Latin American countries experienced a decline in the average real minimum wage in the first quarter of 2024 when compared to the same period of 2023. Argentina registered the largest fall during that year, with a 32.2 percent loss. By contrast, Jamaica had an increase on average real minimum wage of almost 36 percent, the largest increase amongst the selection.

Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: South Papua data was reported at 3,639,485.000 IDR in Aug 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,464,615.000 IDR for Feb 2024. Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: South Papua data is updated semiannually, averaging 3,639,485.000 IDR from Aug 2023 (Median) to Aug 2024, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,464,615.000 IDR in Feb 2024 and a record low of 3,416,347.000 IDR in Aug 2023. Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: South Papua data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Indonesia. The data is categorized under Indonesia Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table ID.GBB004: Monthly Average Wage: Net: by Province.

Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: South West Papua data was reported at 3,739,328.000 IDR in Aug 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,717,604.000 IDR for Feb 2024. Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: South West Papua data is updated semiannually, averaging 3,717,604.000 IDR from Aug 2023 (Median) to Aug 2024, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,739,328.000 IDR in Aug 2024 and a record low of 3,650,773.000 IDR in Aug 2023. Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: South West Papua data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Indonesia. The data is categorized under Indonesia Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table ID.GBB004: Monthly Average Wage: Net: by Province.

Salary disparities between average earnings and developer earnings by country (in U.S. dollars).

Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: East Kalimantan data was reported at 3,822,732.000 IDR in Feb 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,800,096.000 IDR for Aug 2018. Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: East Kalimantan data is updated semiannually, averaging 2,785,468.000 IDR from Feb 2008 (Median) to Feb 2019, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,898,841.000 IDR in Aug 2017 and a record low of 1,791,541.000 IDR in Feb 2008. Average Monthly Net Wage: Semiannually: East Kalimantan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Central Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Indonesia Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table ID.GBB006: Monthly Average Wage: Net: by Province.

This dataset provides values for WAGES IN MANUFACTURING reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents median income data over a decade or more for males and females categorized by Total, Full-Time Year-Round (FT), and Part-Time (PT) employment in Central. It showcases annual income, providing insights into gender-specific income distributions and the disparities between full-time and part-time work. The dataset can be utilized to gain insights into gender-based pay disparity trends and explore the variations in income for male and female individuals.

Key observations: Insights from 2023

Based on our analysis ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, we present the following observations: - All workers, aged 15 years and older: In Central, the median income for all workers aged 15 years and older, regardless of work hours, was $61,327 for males and $39,288 for females.

These income figures highlight a substantial gender-based income gap in Central. Women, regardless of work hours, earn 64 cents for each dollar earned by men. This significant gender pay gap, approximately 36%, underscores concerning gender-based income inequality in the city of Central.

- Full-time workers, aged 15 years and older: In Central, among full-time, year-round workers aged 15 years and older, males earned a median income of $80,791, while females earned $53,839, leading to a 33% gender pay gap among full-time workers. This illustrates that women earn 67 cents for each dollar earned by men in full-time roles. This level of income gap emphasizes the urgency to address and rectify this ongoing disparity, where women, despite working full-time, face a more significant wage discrepancy compared to men in the same employment roles.

Remarkably, across all roles, including non-full-time employment, women displayed a similar gender pay gap percentage. This indicates a consistent gender pay gap scenario across various employment types in Central, showcasing a consistent income pattern irrespective of employment status.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. All incomes have been adjusting for inflation and are presented in 2023-inflation-adjusted dollars.

Gender classifications include:

• Male
• Female

Employment type classifications include:

• Full-time, year-round: A full-time, year-round worker is a person who worked full time (35 or more hours per week) and 50 or more weeks during the previous calendar year.
• Part-time: A part-time worker is a person who worked less than 35 hours per week during the previous calendar year.

Variables / Data Columns

• Year: This column presents the data year. Expected values are 2010 to 2023
• Male Total Income: Annual median income, for males regardless of work hours
• Male FT Income: Annual median income, for males working full time, year-round
• Male PT Income: Annual median income, for males working part time
• Female Total Income: Annual median income, for females regardless of work hours
• Female FT Income: Annual median income, for females working full time, year-round
• Female PT Income: Annual median income, for females working part time

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Central median household income by race. You can refer the same here

Explore the progression of average salaries for graduates in Spanish & Portuguese (Latin American Literature And Culture) from 2020 to 2023 through this detailed chart. It compares these figures against the national average for all graduates, offering a comprehensive look at the earning potential of Spanish & Portuguese (Latin American Literature And Culture) relative to other fields. This data is essential for students assessing the return on investment of their education in Spanish & Portuguese (Latin American Literature And Culture), providing a clear picture of financial prospects post-graduation.

Graph and download economic data for 12-Month Moving Average of Unweighted Median Hourly Wage Growth for the South Atlantic Census Division (FRBATLWGT12MMUMHWGSACD) from Dec 1997 to May 2025 about South Atlantic Census Division, growth, moving average, 1-year, average, wages, median, and USA.