Is the Minimum Wage in Your Country Enough?

[Rengga Jati]

Compared to the USD exchange rate, my country seems to be one of the poor countries.
Just check the following table (in Rupiah). So, the minimum wage range in my country is around $130-320 per month. However, the average expenses are around $173-331. So, based on the data I've gathered from this table, it's quite complicated and depressing. Most of the income doesn't match the expenses. Especially now that everything in our country is going up. Even fuel prices have risen drastically.


Indonesia’s 🇮🇩 2026 provincial minimum wages

The description is in IDR, but you can see how the percentage and the minus are compared with the expenses.

[Natalim]

It is being stated that the primary purpose of having a minimum wage is to protect the workers against unduly low pay and save from poverty, but I don't think this is what we are seeing now. In fact, while the rate of inflation increases that are seen on prices of goods and services, the rate of minimum wage does not elevate so that it could somehow cater the increasing prices of basic needs.

What we need is no longer a minimum wage, but a government that can really understand us and uphold real progress through giving us reasonable and sustainable rate of income.

[alani123]

I think the only country which can answer this positively is Switzerland where minimum wage is around 5000 Swiss francs and the average rent isn't above 2000 francs. So even with super expensive rent, in relation to salaries you can still save a lot on minimum wage.

Somehow they have managed to make it like this. But almost every other country in the world had a shit minimum wage compared to its costs.

[Ziskinberg]

If you are living in a rural are where you can grow a kitchen garden on your backyard, then having that minimum wage will surely sustain your needs and wants. But if you are residing in a town or city where everything is expensive, you cannot expect a minimum wage earner will live a good and convenient lifestyle, even survival itself will already turn a struggle every single day.

[LogitechMouse]

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What is the situation like in your country? Are minimum wages sufficient? In my country, the minimum wage is currently even below the poverty line. The minimum wage is only 28.000 TL which is equivalent to about $600. However the poverty line is 36.000 TL which is $775. It's impossible for someone earning the minimum wage to support themselves and their family.
They're already forced to spend a large portion of their salary just to pay rent. Under these conditions, a married couple can't make ends meet even if both partners work for the minimum wage. I'm not even talking about living a normal life. They struggle just to avoid going hungry. The economy is truly in very bad shape.

If you know that the minimum wage isn't sufficient, why settle for only one source of income? If you can have 2 income sources, why not do both.

Now if you feel that the minimum wage isn't enough, go find another job or income source that will give you higher monthly salary. Don't settle for an income where you know that it isn't enough. You can't? This might be a bit harsh, but go hone a f*cking skill that will make you better than those minimum wage earners in your place. I will not say too much about our minimum wage here in our country, but one thing's for sure, it isn't enough and there's a reason for it that's why some of them have side hustle just to make ends meet and there's nothing wrong with it.

We can blame the economy, the government, or anybody, but can't we just blame ourselves for not becoming a better citizen? Instead of blaming whoever that's on the top, why don't you just spend that time learning something that will make you better in the long run? Learn something that will put you above those people who are earning minimum wage.

[pooya87]

We know that raising the minimum wage triggers inflation.

I've heard so many politicians say this but this claim has never made any sense to me specially since the raw data does not support this theory. Such raises have not caused inflation in the past.
To me it seems like this is an excuse they use to avoid increasing minimum wage, otherwise that kind of increase is not enough to cause inflation and that money will be spent for their basic needs (like groceries and paying bills) not go into stuff that would cause inflation.

The main cause of inflation is almost always the government printing money or wasting the budget causing a budget deficit, specially when they do it to fund their own personal ambitions abroad...

[BlackHatCoiner]

We know that raising the minimum wage triggers inflation.

The problem with raising the minimum wage is not that it triggers inflation. Entrepreneurs' cost go up, but this is not a cost that increases over time, like increasing the money supply every month, so it would simply raise the cost once.

The problem with raising the minimum wage is that it may simply not make economic sense for many entrepreneurs anymore. This would result in higher unemployment and closed businesses. A minimum wage may not be livable, but it is more livable than no wage.

[Nahl]

In my country minimum wages can be different between province that because, in some province which have low life standard usually minimum wages will be low too compared between the wages to the people who live in the big cities.
Speaking about enough or not the salaries which employee received for every month for their monthly needed, i think the answers will be various depend on the person. But in my opinion i was life in the country which daily needs for every families is not too expensive which mean, if the people don't life with luxury style i think minimum wages is enough to feed one family for every month.

[Fiatless]

We know that raising the minimum wage triggers inflation.

The problem with raising the minimum wage is not that it triggers inflation. Entrepreneurs' cost go up, but this is not a cost that increases over time, like increasing the money supply every month, so it would simply raise the cost once.

The problem with raising the minimum wage is that it may simply not make economic sense for many entrepreneurs anymore. This would result in higher unemployment and closed businesses. A minimum wage may not be livable, but it is more livable than no wage.

Raising the minimum wage should be followed by other economic policies to reduce its effect.  The government would also have to give businesses or entrepreneurs some incentives that would reduce the effect of the increase in minimum wage. Reduction of taxes, grants, soft loans, and other measures would help entrepreneurs survive the unfavorable effects.

It is better to avoid inflation than trying to control it, since almost every strategy to curb it has adverse consequences.

[LastKiss]

The minimum wage normally indicates the lowest amount a person should be paid, but due to the effects of the economic crisis, the minimum wage has now become the norm. People either work for the minimum wage or earn a salary just slightly above it.

What is the situation like in your country? Are minimum wages sufficient? In my country, the minimum wage is currently even below the poverty line. ~snip~

In my country, it depends on each individual's lifestyle if someone does not live an excessive lifestyle, the minimum wage can be enough. This usually means cooking your own meals, not hanging out with friends too often, using a standard gadget and having no installment payments or debts.

However, it is almost impossible to live on a minimum wage once you have a family cause minimum wage is generally designed to support only one individual, when someone have a family and has children they need to cover the needs of additional family members as well.

Even in many cases employers pay workers below the minimum wage and those workers stay because they have no other choice. Often, their families cannot afford to pay for their children  education so they can apply for better job but in the end it creates a domino effect that is difficult to break.

[Chilwell]

I think the only country which can answer this positively is Switzerland where minimum wage is around 5000 Swiss francs and the average rent isn't above 2000 francs. So even with super expensive rent, in relation to salaries you can still save a lot on minimum wage.

Somehow they have managed to make it like this. But almost every other country in the world had a shit minimum wage compared to its costs.

In the last 15 years in my own country someone's first salary can buy a motorcycle and there will still have change to run other things, but right now for a particular civil servant to own a motorcycle they have to put down all their annual salary together before they can be able to buy themselves motorcycle, I consider our wages as the most worst in the entire world because our currency has been devalued and that is why a lot of things cannot be afford again.

To be honest we are seriously battling to survivor in our own country, because the issue of tax have surrounded us, the inflation a seriously eating us up and our government are not ready to support instead the are making life difficult for us.

[Uhwuchukwu53]

The minimum wage is serious issue on many countries, mostly the third world countries, no matter how the minimum wage is increased if government keeps on increasing taxes and have no better policy in controlling the domestic market it will surely worth nothing to whoever that received it, the only solution is if minimum wage is paid than the taxes involved should be also small mostly the one charges on goods, and also increase food production and others basic need like houses because the minimum wage can't handle most of this especially when it's extremely smaller than the poverty line if a nation like some countries two or three persons , minimum wage can't rent a self-contained most time even find it difficult to feed squarely, where food cost is very high and the food production has been reduced to nothing due to insecurities and others factors.

[Mate2237]

When it comes to the issue of minimum wage it seems to me that governments all over the world are acting thesame way. Because looking at different countries around the world it's almost the same thing the complain has always been workers are not been paid well when compared to the international standard set for Those considered to be poor government should make sure, that they reduce poverty by living the living standards of her citizens by pegging the minimum earnings of the ordinary worker in a good range that will be good.




In my country the plight of the average worker is even worst because the minimum wage is about $50 to $55 depending on  the current exchange rate. This only shows how bad things are and still yet some state government are struggling to pay this amount. Even on the private sector it's still the same because most private jobs too find it hard to pay above this amount.

[justdimin]

It is never enough. The fact is, no salary is enough. I don't care if it is a million a month. If you are working for somebody else, you are doing it wrong. I would rather make $1k/month but own my own business instead of wage slaving under somebody else. That's the biggest problem many people have. They think a bigger fatter salary will solve their problems. It won't. Unless they learn how to start their own business and manage their own munney, they will always be in trouble financially.

I understand where you are coming from, and it makes complete sense. But some people don't want to do something of their own because of the risks that comes with it. I have some friends who are extremely talented people and are well aware that they can make 5x money if they were doing their own startup. Their mindset is a bit different, and I guess both mindsets have their own worth.

For them, their job is a window of the day they give to the company, and in return, they get to enjoy the remaining time, weekends, etc., with the family without having to worry about anything else. Doing your own business comes with some issues, such as stressful days and sleepless nights. A person doing a job doesn't have such days, and the moment he steps out of the office, his stress ends there.

[LGD2Business]

If you know that the minimum wage isn't sufficient, why settle for only one source of income? If you can have 2 income sources, why not do both.

Now if you feel that the minimum wage isn't enough, go find another job or income source that will give you higher monthly salary. Don't settle for an income where you know that it isn't enough. You can't? This might be a bit harsh, but go hone a f*cking skill that will make you better than those minimum wage earners in your place. I will not say too much about our minimum wage here in our country, but one thing's for sure, it isn't enough and there's a reason for it that's why some of them have side hustle just to make ends meet and there's nothing wrong with it.

We can blame the economy, the government, or anybody, but can't we just blame ourselves for not becoming a better citizen? Instead of blaming whoever that's on the top, why don't you just spend that time learning something that will make you better in the long run? Learn something that will put you above those people who are earning minimum wage.

That answer is strange and has little to do with the topic. It's ridiculous to ask people why they're working for minimum wage and not earning more. Because half the country works for minimum wage. It has nothing to do with how knowledgeable they are, how many universities they've graduated from or how much they've developed their skills in a particular field. Even people with master's degrees are working as cashiers in this country because they can't find jobs. I guess it's very easy to talk online without knowing the reality on the ground.

It doesn't matter how talented you are or how good you are at your job, merit doesn't exist. There's favoritism. In interviews people with connections get ahead. That's why the country is in this state. As far as I can tell, this problem exists in many parts of the world as well. I've received sufficient answers, thank you to everyone who participated.