So I was researching the US minimum wage in 2025 because a friend wants to move there and we were surprised by how it works there. Like, here in Brazil we have a single value for everyone, but there it’s completely different. The federal minimum wage is US$ 7.25 per hour since 2009 (that’s right, frozen for years), but each state sets its own floor, which creates an absurd difference from region to region.

The calculation is pretty simple there: everything is by the hour. If you work the standard 40 hours per week at the federal minimum wage, it amounts to about US$ 1,160 per month. But then comes the problem — that’s insufficient to live anywhere decent. Average rents are over US$ 1,600, so the budget doesn’t add up even working all the time.

Now, in states like Washington DC, the US minimum wage in 2025 reaches US$ 17.50/h (about R$ 14,000 per month), California and New York are also around US$ 15-16/h. But it’s obvious that these places also have sky-high living costs. I found out that Georgia and Wyoming still use some ridiculous values (US$ 5.15/h), but in practice, the federal rate prevails.

What caught my attention most is that the US minimum wage in 2025 varies so much that a worker can earn from US$ 7.25 up to US$ 17.50 depending on where they live. And there’s more: waiters and professions with tips earn even less at the base because tips supplement the income. Basically, anyone thinking about moving there needs to research not only the state’s salary but also the local cost of living. Because earning more in dollars doesn’t mean anything if rent consumes everything you earn.