Shocking salary differences around the world today

When mopping floors pays more than heading a country

It's barely believable, but a school caretaker can out-earn a university professor, a hospital porter can take home more than a surgeon, and a cleaner's salary can even trump a president's. And the exact same job can pay vastly differing amounts.

Why? Because where you work matters just as much as, if not more than, what you do. Global wage scales are shaped by everything from living costs to government regulations, union power, and corporate policy. The result is eye-watering pay chasms that highlight the quirks and inequalities of the world economy. With this in mind, click or scroll through the gallery to discover 15 of the most unbelievable salary comparisons on the planet. 

All dollar amounts in US dollars.

A cleaner in Australia's Parliament House earns 1.2 times more than...

Keeping Australia's Parliament House in Canberra spick and span can't be easy with its expansive spaces. But the building's cleaners don't do too badly at all when it comes to compensation, with typical yearly pay coming in at an estimated $35,916 (£26.7k), according to Indeed.

Still, the salary is modest given the steep cost of living in Canberra, which is Australia's second most expensive city after Sydney, as per Numbeo. Yet, it beats the annual pay of...

The president of Serbia

Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic. While the head of state of the Balkan nation recently bagged a hefty pay rise, his annual salary works out at just $28,944 (£21.5k). The wage is among the lowest in the world for a national leader, but Vucic isn't having to slum it.

The long-time president has the run of Novi Dvor, a grand former royal palace, which serves as his official residence and office. And naturally, as president, his extensive expenses, including security, transportation, and personal staff, will all be covered by the state.

A court clerk in Canada earns 1.3 times more than...

Pay for public workers in the legal field differs markedly around the globe. In Canada, a court clerk can expect to pull in an annual income of $52,410 (£39k), as reported by jobs site Indeed.

This is pretty decent for a role that requires few formal qualifications and largely consists of on-the-job training. Of course, compared to more senior law-related jobs in Canada, such as public prosecutor or provincial court judge, the salary is low. But amazingly, it's higher than the yearly pay of...

A Supreme Court judge in Nigeria

A Nigerian Supreme Court judge. Last year, the country's president, Bola Tinubu, signed a law bumping up the pay of supreme court justices by a whopping 300%.

However, the nation's top judges, veteran jurists with years of experience, continue to earn a pittance by global standards, taking home just $40,201 (£29.9k) a year. In contrast, their counterparts in Canada and the US earn around $300,000 (£223k).

A flight attendant in the UAE earns almost two times more than...

A global aviation hub and the home of two of the world's most renowned airlines, Emirates and Etihad, the UAE boasts a thriving air travel sector. The average yearly salary for a flight attendant in the country stands at $33,168 (£24.7k) according to Indeed. This chimes in with what the nation's two leading airlines offer, though Emirates tends to pay a little more.

Both carriers provide plum perks, from free accommodation to extensive travel benefits. And to cap it all, the salary is tax-free. Astonishingly, a flight attendant in the UAE takes home twice the typical annual earnings of...

An experienced commercial pilot in Pakistan

An experienced commercial pilot in Pakistan. According to Forces College Rawalpindi, which preps students for military aviation careers, a domestic commercial pilot with a minimum of five years' flying experience can expect to earn just $16,968 (£12.6k) a year in the country.

Experienced military pilots are paid even less, with their annual compensation averaging $9,540 (£7.1k).

An Uber Driver in the US earns over two times more than...

If you hail an Uber ride in America, chances are your driver will be outrageously overqualified. From Iraqi doctors to PhD grads from India, the platform is a go-to for immigrants who may not be able to work in their chosen profession due to language issues, visa and accreditation problems, or other barriers.

That said, the popularity of Uber still makes driving a lucrative career. As per Talent.com, the typical Uber driver in America gets annual pay of $56,098 (£41.8k), double the average yearly salary of...

An automotive engineer in Indonesia

An automotive engineer in Indonesia. This highly skilled role pays well by local standards, but at $26,923 (£20k), the reported average yearly wage stands in stark contrast to what an Uber driver earns in the US, let alone a comparable job in the country.

Unsurprisingly, Indonesia has grappled with a shortage of automotive engineers for years, with the relatively poor compensation no doubt playing a significant role in this brain drain.

A school caretaker in Germany earns two-and-a-half times more than...

The typical schulhausmeister in Germany makes a good living, with annual pay averaging $43,451 (£32.3k), according to meingehalt.net.

Wages do differ widely across the country though. They are lower in eastern Germany, coming in at under $35,000 (£26.1k) a year in the poorest-paid areas, and higher in western states, where an experienced caretaker can earn $51,660 (£38.4k) per annum. This is considerably more than the average annual salary of...

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A university professor in Brazil

A university professor in Brazil. According to Glassdoor, which bases its estimate on thousands of salary reports, the typical yearly wage for a don in one of the country's higher education establishments is only $17,262 (£12.8k).

Needless to say, Brazil's professors are up in arms about their minimal pay. Last year, academic staff from more than 60 federal universities went on strike to demand higher wages, together with increased investment in the country's ailing higher education sector.

A waiter in Monaco earns almost three times more than...

Waiting staff in Monaco earn more than their peers in neighbouring France, with an annual average base salary of $35,000 (£26k), according to Indeed. And with the glitzy principality packed with ultra-wealthy tippers, earnings can be enormously boosted by gratuities.

The cost of living in the affluent principality is notoriously pricey, but many workers commute in from more affordable France, so they benefit from the better pay rates without bearing the sky-high living costs residents face. Compared to many hospitality industry workers in other parts of the world, a Monaco waiter earns big, typically over four times more than...

A hotel general manager in Nepal

A hotel general manager in Nepal. This is about as high as you can go in the hospitality hierarchy but the rewards aren't all that fabulous in the Asian country, which Lonely Planet describes as one of the world's great travel destinations and a trekker's paradise.

As revealed by Kathmandu's ISMT College, the average yearly pay for a hotel general manager comes in at only $12,144 (£9k) in Nepal.

An electrician in the UK earns almost four times more than...

Getting a university degree has long been considered more prestigious than learning a trade, and it used to guarantee a bumper income. But these days, many tradespeople out-earn graduates. In the UK for instance, the typical electrician earns $57,125 (£42.5k) a year, as per Reed.

As well as outpacing a slew of jobs that require a bachelor's or even a master's degree, the average annual salary of a UK 'sparky' is four times higher than that of...

Malawi's Minister of Energy

The Minister of Energy in Malawi. The position is currently occupied by Ibrahim Matola, who was appointed in 2022. As reported by the country's number one jobs site, Nchito.com, Matola draws a ministerial salary, which averages just $14,925 (£11.1k) a year.

Matola is overseeing the expansion of Malawi's grid, with the aim of improving electricity access and growing the nation's renewable energy infrastructure.

A hospital porter in Switzerland earns over four times more than...

Who knew carting around patients could be so lucrative? In Switzerland, a hospital porter commands a typical yearly salary of $75,432 (£56.1k), according to Glassdoor, which rates the estimate with high confidence.

Swiss living costs can be punishing, hence the high salaries in the country. But Swiss pay is still breathtaking, especially when you discover the average hospital porter in the nation makes over four times more typically than...

A surgeon in Bulgaria

A surgeon in Bulgaria. Medical staff in the country are scandalously underpaid and a wave of protests recently kicked off as the nation's doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals struggle to make ends meet.

As per local media, the average annual wage for a doctor in a public hospital stood at a meagre $14,374 (£10.7k) in 2024, while the basic for a seasoned surgeon was just $17,986 (£13.4k).

A street sweeper in Norway earns over four-and-a-half times more than...

Like Switzerland, Norway has living costs that would make people in most countries gasp. But the nation's bulging pay packets make up for its exorbitant prices.

Take the role of street sweeper. In Norway, the average annual salary for the job sits at a tidy $54,416 (£40.5k), according to the Economic Research Institute (ERI). That's over four-and-a-half times the typical yearly pay of...

An urban planner in the Philippines

An urban planner in the Philippines. Turns out the person who sweeps the streets in one place out-earns the person who designed the entire neighbourhood in another.

While the Philippines is much easier on the wallet than Norway, an urban planning role, which requires lots of qualifications and expertise, averages a disappointing $12,395 (£9.2k) a year in the country, as per Salary Expert.

A Zara sales associate in Spain earns over five times more than...

Pay rates for the exact same job in the exact same company can differ dramatically from country to country. This comes down to factors like varying living costs, minimum wage rates, and union strength.

In Spain, a retail sales associate working in a branch of Zara earns an average of $28,188 (£21k) a year, according to ABC Economy. That is over five times the typical annual salary of...

A Zara sales associate in Mexico

A Zara sales associate in Mexico. Indeed has crunched the numbers and they're not pretty, with average yearly pay coming in at just $5,304 (£3.9k).

Living costs are more affordable in Mexico, but not by a colossal degree, with prices including rents around 24% lower. Clearly, the figure leaves a lot to be desired.

A veterinary assistant in the US earns over five times more than...

In the US, aspiring veterinary assistants don't need extensive formal qualifications, requiring little more than a passion for animal care to get started. This is one of the better entry-level roles, with a median annual salary of $41,000 (£30.5k), according to Glassdoor.

This is over five times higher than the median yearly pay of...

A veterinary doctor in Mexico

A veterinary doctor in Mexico. Glassdoor also calculates pay figures for this role south of the border, and as per 128 reports, a veterinary doctor in the country can expect to take home just $7,764 (£5.8k) a year.

It's little surprise, then, that vets in Mexico often seek employment opportunities in the US, where wages are so much better.

A Starbucks barista in the US earns over seven times more than...

Back to companies that pay staff doing the same job vastly differing amounts depending on the country. Starbucks handsomely rewards its US employees; staff in the country enjoy a range of benefits, including medical insurance, stock equity, and even free college tuition, in addition to a salary that averages $17 (£13) an hour. This is over seven times the mean yearly pay of...

A Starbucks barista in Malaysia

A Starbucks barista in Malaysia. While the job description is the same, the pay per hour averages just $2.37 (£1.76) in the Asian country, as per Glassdoor.

That said, the salary is in line with local wages. Plus, like their American counterparts, Starbucks employees in Malaysia enjoy enviable benefits, from comprehensive health insurance to life assurance and a mobile phone allowance.

A dishwasher in Ireland earns almost nine times more than...

The cost of living in Ireland has gone through the roof in recent years. Thankfully, real wage growth has been strong and it's still outpacing inflation. And the country has one of the highest minimum wage thresholds in the world.

Unskilled work pays generously in Ireland from a global viewpoint. Looking at the restaurant trade, a dishwasher earns $32,754 (£24k) a year in the country on average, according to the ERI. This is almost nine times the typical annual wage of...

A head chef in Kenya

A head chef in Kenya. As per payscale, a senior chef in the country can expect to take home just $3,815 (£2.8k) a year.

Living costs are far cheaper in Kenya, but USAID reports that two-thirds of the population live in poverty. This means many Kenyans' wages don't cover their day-to-day expenses, making life a constant struggle.

A bricklayer in New Zealand earns almost 19 times more than...

New Zealand has a shortage of tradies, including bricklayers, and this extra-tight labour market is working wonders on salaries. These essential construction workers now earn $50,530 (£37.3k) a year typically, according to Salary Expert. And that is just the base salary, with many taking home considerably more with overtime.

A Kiwi brickie's yearly pay is actually so good that it comes in at 19 times higher than the average annual salary of...

A civil engineer in Pakistan

A civil engineer in Pakistan. At the zenith of the construction pecking order, civil engineers plan, design, and oversee major building projects. They require a bachelor's degree, postgrad qualifications and more in stark contrast to bricklayers, who need substantially less training.

Wages are abysmal across the board in Pakistan. Despite the seniority of the role, a civil engineering job commands an average yearly base salary of just $2,706 (£2k), as per Indeed.

A McDonald's worker in Denmark earns 30 times more than...

McDonald's operates in over 100 countries. Given its franchise model and varying living costs, employment regulations, and union strength, crew members' salaries differ drastically around the world.

McDonald's staff in high-cost Denmark get one of the best deals, courtesy of a collective agreement with the nation's 3F trade union. It ensures a basic hourly pay rate equating to $22.82 (£16.98) per hour for workers over 18. The figure is a staggering 30 times higher than the average hourly rate for...

A McDonald's worker in India

A McDonald's worker in India. A crew member in the country pulls in an average of just $0.77 (£0.57) an hour, according to Glassdoor.

The figure is shockingly low by Western standards, but it does reflect the ultra-low cost of living in India, which is one of the most affordable countries on the planet.

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