Minimum Wage by Country, 2000 to 2025
Germany had the highest real hourly minimum wage in 2025 at $17.83 (PPP, 2025 prices), just above Luxembourg's $17.75; the US federal rate is $7.25.
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What the data shows
- In 2025, Germany ranks #1 with $17.83, ahead of Luxembourg ($17.75) and United Kingdom ($17.13).
- Back in 2000, Netherlands was #1 with $14.80.
- The top spot changed hands 9 times, first to France in 2006, most recently to Germany in 2023.
- Biggest climber: United Kingdom, from #7 in 2000 to #3 in 2025.
- Germany wasn't on the board in 2000 but is in the top 5 by 2025.
About this chart
Germany's statutory minimum wage was worth $17.83 an hour in 2025, the highest in the OECD data, in US dollars adjusted for inflation to 2025 prices and for purchasing power. Luxembourg is just behind at $17.75, then the United Kingdom ($17.13), Australia ($16.75) and the Netherlands ($16.71). Germany introduced a national minimum wage in 2015, so its line starts that year, at $15.20.
The United Kingdom's real minimum rose from $9.73 in 2000 to $17.13 in 2025. The US federal minimum has been $7.25 nominal since 2009, so its real value in this series fell from $9.64 in 2000 to $7.25 in 2025, about 25%; many US states set higher minimums. Countries with no national statutory minimum, such as Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Switzerland, are absent.
The data
Source: OECD, Real minimum wages at constant prices (DSD_EARNINGS@RMW), hourly, USD PPP, 2025 prices, via OECD SDMX API. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Only countries with a national statutory minimum wage in the OECD dataset (about 36 economies); 12 highest in 2025 shown. Adjusted for inflation to 2025 prices and converted with purchasing power parities. The US figure is the federal minimum of $7.25; many US states set higher. Countries without a legal minimum (e.g. Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland nationally) are absent. Some countries start later than 2000 (e.g. Germany from 2015).
| Date | 🇩🇪 Germany | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 🇦🇺 Australia | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 🇫🇷 France | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 🇪🇸 Spain | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 🇨🇦 Canada | 🇵🇱 Poland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $13.68 | $9.73 | $14.18 | $14.80 | $13.04 | $14.62 | $9.17 | $9.65 | $10.26 | $9.11 | $4.22 | |
| 2001 | $14.16 | $10.02 | $14.05 | $15.07 | $13.29 | $14.70 | $9.20 | $9.52 | $10.12 | $9.00 | $4.51 | |
| 2002 | $14.12 | $10.73 | $14.19 | $15.23 | $13.46 | $14.89 | $9.27 | $9.43 | $10.16 | $8.91 | $4.42 | |
| 2003 | $14.64 | $10.98 | $14.37 | $15.38 | $13.69 | $14.81 | $9.63 | $9.33 | $10.27 | $8.79 | $4.62 | |
| 2004 | $14.63 | $11.61 | $14.63 | $15.29 | $14.15 | $14.65 | $9.96 | $9.58 | $11.00 | $8.80 | $4.61 | |
| 2005 | $14.92 | $12.14 | $14.75 | $15.03 | $14.70 | $14.53 | $10.22 | $10.01 | $11.48 | $8.88 | $4.64 | |
| 2006 | $14.84 | $12.40 | $14.52 | $15.03 | $15.07 | $14.56 | $10.62 | $10.20 | $11.37 | $9.07 | $4.85 | |
| 2007 | $15.12 | $12.73 | $15.00 | $15.14 | $15.23 | $14.73 | $11.32 | $10.49 | $12.02 | $9.16 | $4.93 | |
| 2008 | $14.91 | $12.71 | $14.74 | $15.19 | $15.25 | $14.67 | $11.69 | $10.60 | $11.78 | $9.53 | $5.70 | |
| 2009 | $15.55 | $12.87 | $14.93 | $15.51 | $15.52 | $15.40 | $12.00 | $11.06 | $12.33 | $10.10 | $6.22 | |
| 2010 | $15.45 | $12.73 | $14.86 | $15.55 | $15.41 | $15.07 | $12.02 | $11.02 | $12.44 | $10.46 | $6.26 | |
| 2011 | $15.50 | $12.55 | $14.97 | $15.30 | $15.40 | $14.99 | $11.78 | $10.81 | $12.13 | $10.49 | $6.32 | |
| 2012 | $15.49 | $12.52 | $15.18 | $15.25 | $15.59 | $14.87 | $12.06 | $10.55 | $11.93 | $10.68 | $6.60 | |
| 2013 | $15.42 | $12.46 | $15.22 | $15.06 | $15.66 | $15.15 | $12.20 | $10.46 | $11.87 | $10.75 | $6.97 | |
| 2014 | $16.02 | $12.56 | $15.26 | $15.13 | $15.74 | $15.10 | $12.38 | $10.48 | $11.85 | $10.82 | $7.32 | |
| 2015 | $15.20 | $15.97 | $12.88 | $15.45 | $15.15 | $15.87 | $15.01 | $12.84 | $10.59 | $11.89 | $10.99 | $7.69 |
| 2016 | $15.12 | $15.93 | $14.02 | $15.63 | $15.40 | $15.94 | $14.87 | $13.19 | $10.72 | $12.57 | $11.16 | $8.19 |
| 2017 | $15.50 | $16.26 | $14.11 | $15.77 | $15.46 | $15.92 | $14.85 | $13.38 | $11.35 | $12.66 | $11.35 | $8.67 |
| 2018 | $15.23 | $16.18 | $14.38 | $16.00 | $15.47 | $15.83 | $14.70 | $13.64 | $11.61 | $13.01 | $12.55 | $8.94 |
| 2019 | $15.61 | $16.47 | $14.82 | $16.25 | $15.45 | $15.89 | $14.78 | $14.43 | $14.09 | $13.23 | $12.76 | $9.37 |
| 2020 | $15.86 | $16.74 | $15.52 | $16.50 | $15.64 | $16.00 | $14.82 | $15.16 | $14.94 | $13.68 | $12.99 | $10.47 |
| 2021 | $15.65 | $16.89 | $15.62 | $16.39 | $15.47 | $15.99 | $14.70 | $15.48 | $14.55 | $13.50 | $12.86 | $10.74 |
| 2022 | $16.20 | $16.48 | $15.26 | $15.96 | $14.46 | $15.99 | $14.77 | $15.30 | $14.05 | $12.89 | $12.57 | $10.09 |
| 2023 | $17.44 | $17.15 | $15.59 | $16.17 | $15.72 | $16.08 | $15.43 | $15.46 | $14.67 | $13.05 | $12.72 | $10.65 |
| 2024 | $17.64 | $17.41 | $16.56 | $16.63 | $16.27 | $16.11 | $15.64 | $15.50 | $14.27 | $14.36 | $13.05 | $12.37 |
| 2025 | $17.83 | $17.75 | $17.13 | $16.75 | $16.71 | $16.22 | $15.72 | $15.31 | $15.23 | $14.93 | $13.15 | $13.01 |
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Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest minimum wage?
Germany, at $17.83 per hour in 2025, adjusted for purchasing power and inflation (2025 prices). Luxembourg is second at $17.75 and the United Kingdom third at $17.13.
What is the minimum wage in the US?
The US federal minimum is $7.25 an hour and has been since 2009. Adjusted to 2025 prices, its real value fell from $9.64 in 2000 to $7.25 in 2025 in this series, and many states set higher minimums.
Where does this data come from?
OECD, Real minimum wages at constant prices (DSD_EARNINGS@RMW), hourly, USD PPP, 2025 prices, via OECD SDMX API. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Only countries with a national statutory minimum wage in the OECD dataset (about 36 economies); 12 highest in 2025 shown. Adjusted for inflation to 2025 prices and converted with purchasing power parities. The US figure is the federal minimum of $7.25; many US states set higher. Countries without a legal minimum (e.g. Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland nationally) are absent. Some countries start later than 2000 (e.g. Germany from 2015). You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.
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