How much do you really earn with the minimum wage in the United States: complete guide 2025

2025-12-24 15:36:51

Many Brazilians dream of working in the USA, but the big question is: can you live on the minimum wage there? The answer is not simple, and it all depends on where you work. This guide details how the US minimum wage per hour works, the updated values by state, and what you can really do with that money.

How the American system works — very different from Brazil

While Brazil adopts a single national minimum wage, the USA operates in a decentralized manner. The federal government set a national floor of US$ 7.25 per hour since 2009, but states and cities have full autonomy to establish higher values.

This creates a curious situation: two workers doing exactly the same job can earn between US$ 7.25 and US$ 17.50 per hour, depending simply on the state where they work. Cities with high costs — New York, Los Angeles, Seattle — have implemented their own much higher floors.

Quick conversion: what is the US minimum wage per hour in reais?

At the approximate 2025 exchange rate (US$ 1 = R$ 5.20):

Federal floor: US$ 7.25/hour ≈ R$ 37.70
Standard week (40h): US$ 290 ≈ R$ 1,508
Full month (4 weeks): US$ 1,160 ≈ R$ 6,032

For context: in Washington D.C., where the US minimum wage per hour is the highest in the country (US$ 17.50), the monthly earnings reach approximately R$ 14,560.

Comparison with Brazil: numbers can be misleading

In 2025, the US federal minimum wage is around US$ 1,160 per month, while in Brazil the floor is R$ 1,518. At first glance, converting to reais makes the American side look much better.

However, this simplistic analysis ignores real purchasing power. One dollar in the USA buys fewer goods and services than the equivalent converted into reais in Brazil. Additionally:

Average rent in the USA: US$ 1,626/month (already higher than the federal minimum wage)
Monthly cost of living without housing: US$ 1,185/month
Total expenses: US$ 2,811/month

Conclusion: With only US$ 1,160, the budget doesn’t add up in almost any state. Even earning more in converted dollars, the quality of life does not multiply by 4.

The highest minimum wages by state — where it pays more to work

State/City	Wage per Hour	Monthly Salary
Washington D.C.	US$ 17.50	US$ 2,800
Washington	US$ 16.66	US$ 2,666
Massachusetts	US$ 15.00	US$ 2,400
California	US$ 16.50	US$ 2,640
New York (city)	US$ 16.50	US$ 2,640
New York (state)	US$ 15.50	US$ 2,480
Colorado	US$ 15.00	US$ 2,400
Connecticut	US$ 15.69	US$ 2,510

Curiosity: California also has special rules for overtime — after 8 hours daily, you earn 1.5x, and above 12 hours, you earn 2x the rate.

The lowest wages — where the federal floor still applies

States like Georgia and Wyoming officially record US$ 5.15 per hour, but in practice, the federal floor of US$ 7.25 prevails for most workers. Some employers manage to pay less only in specific cases.

How to calculate your US minimum wage per hour in reais

The formula is quite simple: everything is based on hours worked.

Weekly calculation:

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