Low wages are a serious problem affecting people all over the world. Because of them, employees experience difficulties and have to think every month how to make ends meet. Inadequate salaries have a negative impact on life, affecting several aspects of life.
Stress and exhaustion
In order to make a living, workers have to take multiple jobs at the same time, and one job alternates with another, which leads to not only physical but also psychological exhaustion and stress, and can gradually cause a variety of health problems. Low wages create a vicious cycle of poverty. People cannot save on a small salary and therefore cannot invest in education that would enable them to grow in their careers and get a better paying job. Factors such as globalisation and automation are contributing to low wages around the world.
Third countries
Low wages are predominantly prevalent in third world countries. Wages are very low here compared to developed countries. This is due to a number of reasons: low levels of technological development, lower labour productivity and lack of low-wage jobs, and unfavourable working conditions. Third World countries or developing countries are generally those countries that have low GDP (gross domestic product), low human development index, high mortality rates and low overall living standards. They are mostly former colonies. Civil wars, natural disasters, poor education and inadequate health care have contributed to the dysfunctional economy.
Worldwide lowest salaries in Cuba
Cuba dominates the ranking of the lowest salaries in the world, but that is not a positive thing in this case. On average, they earn 46 euros per month in this Caribbean country. People working in the service, catering and agricultural sectors receive an average of 32 euros per month. Those who work in administration are similarly well off on €34 . Employees in customer support, security, transport and healthcare are slightly better off, with average monthly earnings of EUR 36. In education and manufacturing, they earn roughly one euro more. The lowest paid sector is the clothing industry, where workers receive €26.
Among the highest-rated industries are the automotive and chemical industry, construction and real estate, economics, pharmaceuticals and human resources, where salaries range from 41 to 48 euros per month. Only people employed in telecommunications, banking, law firms, information technology and management are better paid, earning between EUR 50 and EUR 63.
Salaries – gender also plays a role
Cubans with a college degree earn the most, work experience also plays a big role in salary levels, and salaries also vary bybased on gender. Women earn significantly less than men. In the table below, we can see 19 other countries with very low monthly salaries, which are slightly higher than Cuba’s, but still far below a decent wage that can even support a living wage, let alone a family.
| State | Average gross salary in euros |
| Cuba | 46,23 € |
| Congo | 83,20 € |
| India | 138,37 € |
| Ethiopia | 153,76 € |
| Senegal | 156,04 € |
| Tajikistan | 157,04 € |
| Suriname | 171,30 € |
| Sri Lanka | 176,78 € |
| Ghana | 193,98 € |
| Bangladesh | 202,38 € |
| Indonesia | 211,31 € |
| Thailand | 218,41 € |
| Kyrgyzstan | 235,66 € |
| Myanmar | 250,05 € |
| Nepal | 261,46 € |
| Laos | 268,53 € |
| Guatemala | 274,03 € |
| Zambia | 283,37 € |
| Cameroon | 303,18 € |
| Uzbekistan | 305, 75 € |
Solution = go elsewhere for work
The solution for people coming from these countries is to move away in search of a better life and better living conditions in developed countries where the standard of living is higher. Many people from Third World countries go to study in developed countries, where they usually stay to live and work or want to settle after graduation. Ideally, the legislative process for allowing the employment of third-country workers in EU countries would be simpler and quicker.
In Atena we offer a wide range of jobs in Western Europe where you can earn an attractive salary. Atena strives to provide jobs for everyone and to give people from less developed countries a chance for a better life, which is why we are currently hiring people from Ukraine.
