UK minimum wage compared with other countries
The UK's minimum wage was $17.13 an hour in 2025, according to the OECD. That is the 3rd-highest of the 30 OECD countries ranked here. Germany had the highest ($17.83 an hour) and Mexico the lowest ($3.08 an hour). The simple average across the 30 was $11.27 an hour, a difference of $5.86 an hour from the UK's figure.
The UK over ten years
Over 2016 to 2025, the UK's highest value was $17.13 an hour (2025) and its lowest $14.02 an hour (2016).
The UK's figure was higher than the average in every year from 2016 to 2025.
In 2016 the UK ranked 7th of the 30 countries with a figure; in 2025 it ranked 3rd of 30.
Four countries had a higher figure than the UK in 2016 and a lower one in 2025: Australia, the Netherlands, France and Belgium.
How the OECD measures it
The OECD converts each country's statutory adult minimum wage into an hourly rate, adjusts it to 2025 prices with the consumer price index, and converts it into US dollars using 2025 purchasing power parities for household spending. Countries without a national statutory minimum wage, such as Denmark, Italy and Sweden, are not included.
Countries compared: The 38 member countries of the OECD. The table uses the latest year for which the UK and at least three-quarters of the countries the OECD covers have a figure, so every value is for the same period.
Why this differs from the UK's own figures
The UK's minimum wage rates are set by the government each April, on the advice of the Low Pay Commission; the National Living Wage is the rate for workers aged 21 and over. The OECD's figure converts the adult rate into an hourly figure in US dollars at 2025 prices and purchasing power parities, so it is not the pound rate in force today.
Sources and receipts
Every value on this page was read from these addresses. The SHA-256 is the fingerprint of the file as downloaded, so a later change at the source can be detected.
- https://sdmx.oecd.org/public/rest/data/OECD.ELS.SAE,DSD_EARNINGS@RMW,1.0/..USD_PPP.H...?startPeriod=2014&fo…
OECD, Real minimum wages · read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
2ae7ee467ac7dc1d… - OECD: Real minimum wagesThe publisher's page for this data, indicator SM_WG.
Common questions
Where does the UK rank for minimum wage in OECD countries?
Counting from the highest, the UK is 3rd of 30 with $17.13 an hour in 2025, on OECD figures.
Which OECD country has the highest minimum wage?
Germany, at $17.83 an hour in 2025 (OECD).
Which OECD country has the lowest minimum wage?
Mexico, at $3.08 an hour in 2025 (OECD).
What is the OECD average minimum wage?
The simple average of the 30 countries with figures for 2025 is $11.27 an hour. The UK's figure is $17.13 an hour.
How has the UK's minimum wage changed since 2016?
It was $14.02 an hour in 2016 and $17.13 an hour in 2025, according to the OECD.
Is this the same as the UK's official figure?
The UK's minimum wage rates are set by the government each April, on the advice of the Low Pay Commission; the National Living Wage is the rate for workers aged 21 and over. The OECD's figure converts the adult rate into an hourly figure in US dollars at 2025 prices and purchasing power parities, so it is not the pound rate in force today.
More comparisons
- UK national debt compared with other countries
- UK GDP per head compared with other countries
- UK government spending compared with other countries
- UK tax revenue compared with other countries
- UK life expectancy compared with other countries
- UK health spending compared with other countries
Compare any two countries on GDP, inflation, unemployment, debt and life expectancy: country comparison tool.
These pages state each body's figures and the UK's position among them. They give no view on whether a figure is high or low. To report an error, send a correction request.