Minimum Wage Calculator
Check whether your salary meets the statutory German minimum wage of €13.90/hour.
As of September 2026Basis: MiLoG, MiLoV4/MiLoV5Calculated in your browser – your inputs are not transmitted and are kept on this device only if you choose
Tap to type · drag sideways to adjust. Or enter the hourly wage on the right.
I work hours per week on days in .
Full or part time.
Tap or drag here too: the hourly wage becomes the monthly salary.
Your hourly wage of €12.70 is €1.20 below the 2026 minimum wage of €13.90.
No – below the minimum wage
Statutory minimum wage 2026: €13.90 per hour.
- Difference per hour
- −€1.20
- Difference per month
- −€207.48
- Difference in percent
- −8.6%
- Hours per month (average)
- 173.2 hrs
- Minimum salary at minimum wage
- €2,407.48
- Maximum in a Minijob at minimum wage
- 43.4 hrs per month
RZ-26 · headon.pro
What you can do
Your hourly wage of €12.7 is below the minimum wage.
You are short €1.2 per hour or €207.48 per month.
How this was calculated
Hourly wage = monthly gross ÷ (weekly hours × 4.33). It is compared with the 2026 statutory minimum wage of €13.90.
Exemptions from the minimum wage
- Apprentices
- Mandatory interns
- Voluntary internships of up to 3 months
- Under 18 without vocational qualification
- Long-term unemployed in the first 6 months
Legal basis: Minimum Wage Act (MiLoG), Fourth and Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Ordinances.
German minimum wage 2026 and 2027: the amounts
| Year | Per hour | Per month at 40 hours a week | Legal source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026since 1 January 2026 | €13.90 | €2,407.48 | § 1 MiLoV5 |
| 2027from 1 January 2027 | €14.60 | €2,528.72 | § 1 MiLoV5 |
Amounts gross per hour worked. Monthly pay is an assumption, calculated as in the calculator: hourly wage × 40 hours × 4.33 weeks per month. Source: § 1 MiLoV5, BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 268 · checked on 27 July 2026.
2026 minimum wage: what you need to know
As of January 1, 2026, the statutory minimum wage in Germany is €13.90 per hour. That is an increase of €1.08 compared to 2025 (€12.82).
The Minimum Wage Act (MiLoG) protects employees from exploitation and ensures that even simple work is paid fairly. The Minimum Wage Commission, made up of representatives from employers, employees and academia, decides on adjustments every two years.
How much must I earn at minimum wage?
- Monthly (40h week)
- approx. €2,407.48 gross (€13.90 × 40h × 4.33 weeks)
- Yearly (40h week)
- approx. €28,889.76 gross (monthly amount × 12)
- Weekly (40h)
- €556 gross (€13.90 × 40 hours)
- Daily (8h)
- €111.20 gross (€13.90 × 8 hours)
Mini-jobs and the minimum wage
The mini-job limit in 2026 is €603 per month. When paid the minimum wage of €13.90/hour, mini-jobbers may work a maximum of about 43 hours per month to stay within the limit. Over 4 weeks, that works out to about 10-11 hours per week.
Important: if the limit is regularly exceeded, the mini-job becomes subject to social security contributions, and you have to pay contributions for health, long-term care, pension and unemployment insurance.
- Mini-job limit 2026
- €603.00
- Minimum wage per hour
- €13.90
- Maximum hours per month
- 43.4 h
- That is per week approx.
- 10-11 h
Who is not entitled to the minimum wage?
The Minimum Wage Act (MiLoG) provides for a number of exceptions. The following groups are exempt from the minimum wage requirement:
Exemptions from the minimum wage
- 1ApprenticesGoverned by the training remuneration rules under the Vocational Training Act (BBiG)
- 2Mandatory internsFor internships as part of school, studies or vocational training
- 3Voluntary internsFor the first 3 months in orientation internships
- 4Young people under 18Without a completed vocational qualification
- 5Long-term unemployedFor the first 6 months after being re-hired
- 6VolunteersFor voluntary, unpaid activities
Minimum wage development since 2015 – with a 2027 outlook
The minimum wage was introduced in Germany on January 1, 2015 at €8.50 and has risen continuously ever since. The largest increase came in 2022, to €12.00 (+26% compared to 2021). By 2026, the minimum wage has thus risen by more than 50%.
Adjustments are decided by the Minimum Wage Commission every two years, based on collective-bargaining trends and economic factors. The aim is to protect employees from wage dumping while keeping the economic burden on employers manageable.
- 2015 (introduction)
- €8.50
- 2019
- €9.19
- 2021
- €9.50
- 2022 (large increase)
- €12.00
- 2023
- €12.00
- 2024
- €12.41
- 2025
- €12.82
- 2026 (current)
- €13.90
- 2027 (already set)
- €14.60
What to do about minimum wage violations
If your employer pays less than the minimum wage, you are entitled to back pay. Important: claims for minimum-wage back pay lapse after 3 years – so act in time!
Your options for action
- 1Talk to your employer directlyMisunderstandings can often be cleared up with a clarifying conversation
- 2Involve the works councilIf one exists, the works council can act as a mediator
- 3Financial Control of Undeclared Work (FKS)The customs authority responsible for minimum wage checks
- 4Take legal actionFile a claim with the labor court for back pay and default interest
Violations of the Minimum Wage Act can get expensive for employers: fines of up to €500,000 are possible. Employers can also be excluded from public contracts if they repeatedly violate the MiLoG.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about the 2026 and 2027 minimum wage
What is the minimum wage in 2026?
From January 1, 2026, the statutory minimum wage in Germany is €13.90 per hour. That is an increase of €1.08 compared to 2025 (€12.82). For a 40-hour week, that comes to approximately €2,418.60 gross per month.
What is the minimum wage in 2027?
From January 1, 2027, the statutory minimum wage rises to €14.60 per hour – €0.70 more than in 2026 (about 5 percent). It has already been set by the Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Ordinance (MiLoV5) of November 5, 2025, Federal Law Gazette 2025 I No. 268. The calculator applies the new value automatically from January 1, 2027; the mini-job threshold rises accordingly from €603 to €633 per month (Section 8 (1a) SGB IV: minimum wage × 130 ÷ 3, rounded up).
How many hours am I allowed to work in a mini-job?
When paid the minimum wage (€13.90/hour) and given the mini-job limit of €603 per month, you may work a maximum of about 43 hours per month. Over 4 weeks, that is roughly 10-11 hours per week.
Who is not entitled to the minimum wage?
Exempt from the minimum wage requirement are: apprentices, mandatory interns, voluntary interns in their first 3 months, young people under 18 without a completed vocational qualification, the long-term unemployed in their first 6 months, and volunteers.
How has the minimum wage developed over time?
The minimum wage was introduced in 2015 at €8.50 and has risen continuously since then: 2019: €9.19, 2021: €9.50, 2022: €12.00 (large increase), 2024: €12.41, 2025: €12.82, 2026: €13.90. The Minimum Wage Commission decides on adjustments every two years.
What can I do about minimum wage violations?
If you are paid below the minimum wage, you are entitled to back pay. You can talk to your employer directly, involve the works council, contact the Financial Control of Undeclared Work (FKS), or take the matter to the labor court. Important: claims lapse after 3 years.