Last updated: October 22, 2026.
China has no single nationwide minimum wage. In the official October 1, 2026 snapshot, monthly standards range from RMB 1,800 in Hunan’s lowest tier to RMB 2,740 in Shanghai; published non-full-time hourly standards range from RMB 18 in Hunan to RMB 27.7 in Beijing. Apply the employee’s actual locality and employment category, not a national average.
Overview of Minimum Wages in China
Provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities set local minimum wage standards. Monthly standards generally apply to full-time employment; the hourly figures below are the published non-full-time minimums, not monthly amounts divided by 21.75 or eight hours. Different cities or counties within a province may use different tiers.
Minimum wage is a legal floor for normal work under the applicable working-time arrangement. It differs from the average wage reported by the National Bureau of Statistics and does not by itself show a competitive recruitment salary.
China Minimum Wage by Province and City (2026 Table)
As of October 1, 2026 — official data snapshot; page updated October 22, 2026. The table covers all 31 mainland provincial-level regions, with Shenzhen shown separately. A–D correspond to the first through fourth tiers in the official table; figures separated by “/” follow that order.
Monthly maximum: Shanghai RMB 2,740; monthly minimum across listed tiers: Hunan RMB 1,800. Hourly maximum: Beijing RMB 27.7; hourly minimum: Hunan RMB 18. Source: MOHRSS national table reproduced by Jin’an District government. District allocations and start dates are shown only where separately confirmed; otherwise consult the relevant local notice before use.
USD figures are monthly references only, calculated as RMB ÷ 6.7195 using the SAFE central-parity table for October 22, 2026 (RMB 671.95 per USD 100). They are rounded to cents, do not create a USD wage obligation and exclude bank spreads and fees.
| Province / city | Tiers | Representative locality / allocation | Monthly minimum (RMB) | Non-full-time hourly minimum (RMB) | Monthly USD reference | Effective date | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | A | Beijing | 2540 | 27.7 | 378.00 | 2025-09-01 | Official notice |
| Tianjin | A | Confirm local tier allocation | 2510 | 26.6 | 373.54 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Hebei | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2380 / 2230 / 2080 | 24 / 22 / 20 | 354.19 / 331.87 / 309.55 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Shanxi | A / B / C | Check county allocation | 2350 / 2250 / 2150 | 25.3 / 24.2 / 23.3 | 349.73 / 334.85 / 319.96 | 2026-10-01 | Official notice |
| Inner Mongolia | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2380 / 2310 / 2250 | 23.5 / 22.8 / 22.2 | 354.19 / 343.78 / 334.85 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Liaoning | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2230 / 2080 / 1930 | 22 / 20 / 19 | 331.87 / 309.55 / 287.22 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Jilin | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2230 / 2020 / 1870 | 22 / 20.5 / 19 | 331.87 / 300.62 / 278.29 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Heilongjiang | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2270 / 2010 / 1910 | 21 / 18.8 / 18.2 | 337.82 / 299.13 / 284.25 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| hiring in Shanghai | A | Shanghai | 2740 | 25 | 407.77 | 2025-07-01 | Official notice |
| Jiangsu | A / B / C | Suzhou: A; check other districts | 2660 / 2430 / 2180 | 25 / 23 / 21 | 395.86 / 361.63 / 324.43 | 2026-01-01 | Official notice |
| Zhejiang | A / B / C | Check city / county allocation | 2660 / 2430 / 2180 | 25 / 23 / 21 | 395.86 / 361.63 / 324.43 | 2026-01-01 | Official notice |
| Anhui | A / B / C / D | Confirm local tier allocation | 2320 / 2170 / 2100 / 2000 | 23 / 22 / 21 / 20 | 345.26 / 322.94 / 312.52 / 297.64 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Fujian | A / B / C / D | Confirm local tier allocation | 2265 / 2195 / 2045 / 1895 | 23.5 / 23 / 21.5 / 20 | 337.08 / 326.66 / 304.34 / 282.02 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Jiangxi | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2240 / 2090 / 1950 | 22.4 / 20.9 / 19.5 | 333.36 / 311.04 / 290.20 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Shandong | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2400 / 2210 / 2020 | 24 / 22 / 20 | 357.17 / 328.89 / 300.62 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Henan | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2350 / 2150 / 2000 | 23 / 21.1 / 19.6 | 349.73 / 319.96 / 297.64 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Hubei | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2400 / 2130 / 1970 | 24 / 21.5 / 20 | 357.17 / 316.99 / 293.18 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Hunan | A / B / C | Check city / county allocation | 2200 / 2000 / 1800 | 22 / 20 / 18 | 327.41 / 297.64 / 267.88 | 2025-09-01 | Official notice |
| Guangdong | A / B / C | Guangzhou: A; Zhuhai/Foshan/Dongguan/Zhongshan: B; other cities: C | 2680 / 2300 / 2040 | 25.4 / 21.9 / 20.2 | 398.84 / 342.29 / 303.59 | 2026-09-01 | Official notice |
| Shenzhen (within Guangdong) | Separate city rate | Shenzhen | 2700 | 25.4 | 401.82 | 2026-09-01 | Official update |
| Guangxi | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2200 / 2040 / 1870 | 22.4 / 20.7 / 19 | 327.41 / 303.59 / 278.29 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Hainan | A / B | Confirm local tier allocation | 2250 / 2070 | 20 / 18.4 | 334.85 / 308.06 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Chongqing | A / B | Confirm local tier allocation | 2330 / 2200 | 23 / 22 | 346.75 / 327.41 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Sichuan | A / B | Confirm local tier allocation | 2330 / 2200 | 23 / 22 | 346.75 / 327.41 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Guizhou | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2130 / 1980 / 1890 | 22.4 / 20.8 / 19.8 | 316.99 / 294.66 / 281.27 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Yunnan | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2270 / 2120 / 1970 | 22 / 21 / 20 | 337.82 / 315.50 / 293.18 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Tibet | A | Confirm local tier allocation | 2360 | 23 | 351.22 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Shaanxi | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2376 / 2250 / 2140 | 23 / 21.7 / 20.7 | 353.60 / 334.85 / 318.48 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Gansu | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2200 / 2130 / 2080 | 22 / 21.5 / 21 | 327.41 / 316.99 / 309.55 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Qinghai | A | Confirm local tier allocation | 2080 | 20 | 309.55 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Ningxia | A / B | Confirm local tier allocation | 2235 / 2080 | 22 / 20 | 332.61 / 309.55 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
| Xinjiang | A / B / C | Confirm local tier allocation | 2270 / 2080 / 1930 | 22.7 / 20.8 / 19.3 | 337.82 / 309.55 / 287.22 | See local effective-date notice | Official national snapshot |
How the Minimum Wage Affects Employer Costs
| Payroll item | Employer check | Rule / official source |
|---|---|---|
| Probation | Apply the statutory probation wage test and the local minimum-wage floor; probation does not remove minimum-wage protection. | Labor Contract Law Article 20 |
| Sick leave | During the statutory medical treatment period, the national rule permits sick pay below the ordinary minimum but not below 80%; local rules, contracts and policies may require more. | Official explanation of Labour Ministry [1995] 309, paragraph 59 |
| Social insurance / housing fund bases | Check separate contribution-base floors and caps; do not assume the minimum salary is the correct contribution base. | Shanghai 2026 social insurance base guidance; Shanghai 2026 housing fund notice |
| Economic compensation | Where statutory economic compensation is due, a preceding 12-month average below the local minimum uses the local minimum under Article 27. This is not an automatic raise of every severance payment. | Implementing Regulations Article 27 |
| Overtime | Use the legally applicable overtime wage base and local minimum-wage safeguards, together with the employee’s working-hours system; do not use a non-full-time hourly floor as a universal overtime base. | MOHRSS explanation of Labor Law Article 44 |
See how overtime pay is calculated and estimate total employer cost for this salary using the actual employer and employee contribution settings.
Recent updates of the minimum wage law
How often does China adjust minimum wages?
Article 10 of the Minimum Wage Provisions states that minimum wages should be adjusted at least once every two years. A later MOHRSS-published explanation reports the 2015 policy of adjustment at least every two to three years for that period. This does not imply a uniform annual increase or a common effective date across China.
Examples with separately confirmed 2026 effective dates are Jiangsu and Zhejiang (January 1), Guangdong including Shenzhen (September 1), and Shanxi (October 1). This is a verified examples list, not a claim that no other province adjusted in 2026; follow the local notice linked in the table.
Sick leave pay and the minimum-wage floor
At Shanghai’s RMB 2,740 monthly minimum, 80% is RMB 2,192. This is a reference floor under the national medical-period sick-pay rule, not the automatic sick salary for every employee. Contractual terms, valid policies and local implementation may require more.
The 2021 Shanghai extension notice gave the two older sick-pay notices an expiry of August 15, 2026. They are not listed in the July 2026 extension list. Do not infer that every existing contractual entitlement disappears or that all employers can immediately reduce pay to RMB 2,192. For transition issues, read Shanghai sick leave pay changes in 2026 and review the actual contract, policy and applicable current rules.
Probation pay must meet the applicable statutory floor
Article 20 of the Labor Contract Law protects probation wages by reference to the employer’s comparable position wage or 80% of the agreed contractual wage, and the local minimum wage. Apply the statutory comparison and minimum together; a probation label does not permit payment below the local minimum.
Pay during a non-employee-caused production stoppage
Under Article 12 of the Interim Provisions on Wage Payment, pay the contractual wage within one wage-payment cycle. After that cycle, an employee providing normal work must receive at least the local minimum; where normal work is not provided, apply the relevant living-allowance rules. A stoppage does not automatically increase remuneration; local implementation matters.
Minimum wage and economic compensation
Article 27 of the Labor Contract Law Implementing Regulations includes earned wages, bonuses, allowances and subsidies in the economic-compensation wage base. If the preceding 12-month average is below the local minimum, use the local minimum; otherwise assess the ordinary service, wage and cap rules instead of assuming all compensation rises one-for-one with a new floor.
Clarifications About Minimum Wages in China
Why do minimum wages differ between provinces and cities?
Local standards reflect statutory factors such as basic living costs, employee contributions, average wages, employment and economic conditions. A tier must be matched to the actual locality. The national snapshot is useful for comparison but does not replace a county or city allocation notice.
What if pay is below the applicable minimum?
Review normal working time, excluded pay items, the employee’s locality and the applicable monthly or non-full-time standard. Correct any shortfall and seek case-specific advice; workers may complain to the labor authority or use the applicable labor-dispute procedure. Minimum wage is a legal floor, not a general estimate of living costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does China have a national minimum wage?
China has a national legal framework but no single nationwide minimum-wage amount. Provinces and municipalities publish local standards and may use different tiers for different cities or counties.
What is the minimum wage in China in USD?
Using the October 1, 2026 official snapshot and RMB 6.7195 per USD on October 22, 2026, the listed monthly minimums of RMB 1,800–2,740 are approximately USD 267.88–407.77. USD figures are references; actual wage obligations are determined under local rules in RMB.
What is the hourly minimum wage in China?
The October 1, 2026 national table lists non-full-time hourly minimums ranging from RMB 18 in Hunan’s lowest tier to RMB 27.7 in Beijing. These published hourly standards are not a conversion of the monthly full-time minimum.
What is the minimum wage in Shanghai and Beijing?
In the official October 1, 2026 snapshot, Shanghai is RMB 2,740 per month and RMB 25 per non-full-time hour; Beijing is RMB 2,540 per month and RMB 27.7 per non-full-time hour. Their confirmed effective dates are July 1 and September 1, 2025 respectively.
Does the minimum wage include social insurance?
Treatment differs locally. Shanghai’s monthly minimum excludes the employee’s statutory social insurance and housing fund contributions; Beijing also identifies employee contributions as additional items. Other regions may include some employee contributions. Employer contributions and contribution-base floors must be assessed separately; check contribution base floors by city.
Conclusion
Use the correct local minimum-wage tier, effective date and inclusion rules, then separately calculate statutory contributions, tax and other employment costs. HROne can support payroll compliance checks for an existing China employer, or help you hire through HROne’s China EOR where the appropriate EOR structure applies.
