Switzerland
Country or regionNo national statutory minimum wageGlobal rank #2 of 77
Explore how minimum wage compares to Big Mac prices in Switzerland, and how many burgers you can earn with 1 hour of work.
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Minimum wage (gross)
Source: Swiss Federal Government - Permanent Mission of Switzerland in Geneva (admin.ch) · effective Jan 1, 2026
Swiss Federal Government - Permanent Mission of Switzerland in Geneva (admin.ch)Switzerland has NO national statutory minimum wage; a 2014 federal referendum for a CHF 22/hour national minimum was rejected (76% against). Wage floors are set by cantons or collective bargaining agreements. Only 5 cantons have statutory minimums (Geneva, Basel-Stadt, Neuchatel, Jura, Ticino). I report the GENEVA canton rate because it is the most authoritative, widely-cited cantonal statutory minimum (the highest in the world) and applies across all economic sectors except agriculture/horticulture. Effective 1 Jan 2026: gross CHF 24.59/hour (up from CHF 24.48 in 2025), indexed annually to CPI under art. 39K LIRT. Agriculture/floriculture is a lower tier at CHF 18.07/hour. Exceptions exist for apprenticeships, traineeships, and under-18 au-pairs. The minimum applies to all workers employed in Geneva including cross-border commuters; work location (not residence) is decisive. Confirmed by official Swiss government (admin.ch) source. Other cantons differ: e.g. Neuchatel ~CHF 21.35, Jura ~CHF 21.40, Ticino ~CHF 20.00-20.50 (sector-dependent), Basel-Stadt ~CHF 22.20 (certain sectors).
Big Mac price: The Economist · Jan 1, 2026