So I discovered some interesting things about the minimum wage in the United States that many people don't know. People always think that everyone in the US makes a lot of money, but the reality is much more complicated than it seems.

First, the basics: the federal minimum wage in the US has been $7.25 per hour since 2009. Yes, since 2009. Frozen. Meanwhile, here in Brazil, we complain about annual adjustments, but there it’s been stagnant for over 15 years. But wait, because each state can set its own minimum wage. Some places are $5.15, others reach $17.50. That changes everything.

Taking Washington DC as an example: the minimum wage there is $17.50/hour, the highest in the country. That’s about $2,800 per month if working 40 hours a week. Converting to reais (approximately R$ 5.20 per dollar), it’s about R$ 14,560. Seems like a lot, right? But then you see the rent there and realize it’s not quite that simple.

In California and New York, the minimum wage in the US is also high — around $16.50 on average. But renting a decent apartment costs between $1,600 and $2,000. That alone consumes almost all of my hypothetical salary. And then comes food, transportation, internet, all of that. People earning the federal minimum wage of $7.25 are really screwed. About $1,160 per month doesn’t add up anywhere.

The funny thing is comparing it to Brazil. Our minimum wage in 2025 is R$1,518, which in dollars is much less than the US federal minimum. But the relative cost of living is different. One real buys more in Brazil than one dollar buys in the US. So it’s not just about doing a direct conversion and thinking everything’s fine.

The real question is: can you live on minimum wage in the US? Honestly, in most states, no. Some people work 40 hours a week on minimum wage and still struggle. That’s why many Americans work two jobs or do side gigs. The system there is very different from ours — there’s no single national floor like Brazil has. Each place does its own thing.

If you’re thinking about moving there, the advice is: don’t just look at the minimum wage in the state you want to go to. Research the cost of living in that place, how much rent, food, everything costs. Because the difference between earning $7.25 and $17.50 is huge, but the cost also changes accordingly. Some states have low minimum wages but cheap living costs. Some places have high minimum wages but you’re always tight financially. The truth is, minimum wage anywhere in the world is always tight.