Guatemala Minimum Wage 2026 — Official Table
Effective from January 1, 2026 per Acuerdo Gubernativo Number 256-2025 from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, published in the Official Gazette on December 22, 2025.
Economic Zone CE1 (Guatemala Department)
Applies to all municipalities of the Guatemala department (including Guatemala City, Mixco, Villa Nueva, San Miguel Petapa, Amatitlán, etc.)
| Sector | Monthly base wage | Incentive Bonus | Monthly total | Daily wage (decree) | Base ÷ 30 (payroll convention) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Agricultural | Q 4,002.28 | Q 250.00 | Q 4,252.28 | Q 131.58 | Q 133.41 |
| Agricultural | Q 3,791.20 | Q 250.00 | Q 4,041.20 | Q 124.64 | Q 126.37 |
| Export / Maquila | Q 3,409.73 | Q 250.00 | Q 3,659.73 | Q 112.10 | Q 113.66 |
Economic Zone CE2 (Rest of the country)
Applies to the other 21 departments (Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango, Escuintla, Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Quetzaltenango, San Marcos, Huehuetenango, Quiché, Sololá, Totonicapán, Suchitepéquez, Retalhuleu, Santa Rosa, Jutiapa, Jalapa, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Izabal, Petén, Zacapa).
| Sector | Monthly base wage | Incentive Bonus | Monthly total | Daily wage (decree) | Base ÷ 30 (payroll convention) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Agricultural | Q 3,816.90 | Q 250.00 | Q 4,066.90 | Q 125.49 | Q 127.23 |
| Agricultural | Q 3,625.89 | Q 250.00 | Q 3,875.89 | Q 119.21 | Q 120.86 |
| Export / Maquila | Q 3,221.10 | Q 250.00 | Q 3,471.10 | Q 105.90 | Q 107.37 |
Which daily figure is the legal one. The Daily wage (decree) column is what Acuerdo Gubernativo 256-2025 itself publishes, alongside the monthly figure — that is the legal daily floor. The last column is the base ÷ 30 payroll convention many Guatemalan employers and calculators use; it is not in the decree and runs about Q1.45-1.85 higher per day, because the decree’s monthly figure is the daily rate × 365/12 (30.42) rather than × 30. Where the two disagree, the decree governs. The Q250 incentive bonus is monthly and does not divide into days.
How Minimum Wage Works in Guatemala
Guatemala minimum wage is set annually by Government Order (Acuerdo Gubernativo) issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MINTRAB), based on recommendations from the National Wage Commission which brings together government, employer, and worker representatives.
Structure: Base Salary + Incentive Bonus
The monthly minimum wage payment has two components:
Monthly base salary — The ordinary salary proper, regulated by the Labor Code. It’s the base for calculating Bono 14, Aguinaldo, vacation, severance, and IGSS contributions.
Q250 Incentive Bonus — Established by Decreto 78-89 (Incentive Bonus Law). It’s MANDATORY but NOT included when calculating labor benefits (Bono 14, Aguinaldo, vacation, severance) and is NOT subject to IGSS contributions.
This separation matters because:
- Workers ALWAYS receive the extra Q250 each month.
- But when calculating your Bono 14, Aguinaldo, or severance, only the base salary is used (not the Q4,252.28 total).
Differences Between Sectors
Non-Agricultural: Workers in commerce, services, industry, offices, construction, transport, etc. The largest sector.
Agricultural: Workers on farms, plantations, harvest, ranching. Slightly lower salary reflecting the sector’s economic structure.
Export / Maquila: Workers in export textile industry, assembly, export call centers, BPO. Lower salary — historically justified by export sector incentives.
If a worker performs mixed tasks, the highest applicable wage is used.
Minimum Wage Per Hour and Half-Time
Minimum wage is set for a full workday defined in Labor Code Art. 116:
- Daytime ordinary shift: 8 hours daily / 44 hours weekly
- Nighttime shift: 6 hours daily / 36 hours weekly
- Mixed shift: 7 hours daily / 42 hours weekly
Hourly calculation (Non-Agricultural CE1):
- Monthly salary: Q 4,002.28
- Monthly hours (daytime shift): 44 hrs/wk × 4.33 wks/mo = ~190.5 hours
- Hourly wage: Q 4,002.28 / 190.5 = Q 21.00 per hour
Half-time workers receive salary proportional to hours worked, but no less than half the full-time minimum wage.
Minimum Wage in USD
At the current exchange rate (~Q7.62 per USD):
- Non-Agricultural CE1: Q4,252.28 ≈ $558 USD/month
- Agricultural CE1: Q4,041.20 ≈ $530 USD/month
- Maquila CE1: Q3,659.73 ≈ $480 USD/month
- Non-Agricultural CE2: Q4,066.90 ≈ $534 USD/month
For current conversion, see the quetzal-dollar exchange rate.
Historical Guatemala Minimum Wage (2020-2026)
Non-Agricultural CE1 evolution:
| Year | Base Salary | Bonus | Total | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Q 2,825.10 | Q 250.00 | Q 3,075.10 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | Q 2,825.10 | Q 250.00 | Q 3,075.10 | 0.0% |
| 2022 | Q 2,959.24 | Q 250.00 | Q 3,209.24 | +4.4% |
| 2023 | Q 3,138.81 | Q 250.00 | Q 3,388.81 | +5.6% |
| 2024 | Q 3,322.50 | Q 250.00 | Q 3,572.50 | +5.4% |
| 2025 | Q 3,672.32 | Q 250.00 | Q 3,922.32 | +9.8% |
| 2026 | Q 4,002.28 | Q 250.00 | Q 4,252.28 | +8.4% |
What If the Employer Doesn’t Pay Minimum Wage
A serious labor violation per Labor Code Art. 272 literal a), as reformed by Decreto 7-2017 (breach of the rules obliging payment of wages and other labour benefits):
- Fine of 8 to 18 monthly minimum wages in force for non-agricultural activities
- In 2026 that is Q32,018 to Q72,041 at the CE1 non-agricultural minimum of Q4,002.28 (Q30,535 to Q68,704 at the CE2 figure of Q3,816.90) — the Q250 bonificación incentivo is not salary and is not part of the fine base
- The law does not say the fine stacks by headcount; the Departmental Delegate of the Labor Inspectorate grades it within the band, and the number of affected workers is one of the criteria (Art. 271)
- Does NOT exonerate the employer from retroactive payment of owed wages
- Late interest applies from the date of non-compliance
How to file a complaint:
- MINTRAB General Labor Inspection — central office in Zone 5 or departmental sub-delegation
- Anonymous line: 1539 (MINTRAB)
- Online: MINTRAB portal with DPI
Documentation: contract (or work certificate), pay stubs, copy of DPI.
Minimum Wage and Other Labor Calculations
Minimum wage is the base for several other calculations:
- Bono 14 — Calculator here. For Non-Agricultural CE1 minimum annual: Q4,002.28.
- Aguinaldo — Calculator here. Same as Bono 14 for minimum wage workers.
- Vacation — Calculator here. 15 working days at daily rate of minimum wage.
- Severance pay — One month of salary per year worked (Labor Code Art. 82).
Related Trámites and Data
- Bono 14 Calculator — Calculate your annual Bono 14.
- Aguinaldo Calculator — Calculate your Christmas bonus.
- Vacation Calculator — Days accrued and cash value.
- IGSS Monthly Employer Payment — Employer contributions 12.67%.
- Cost of Living in Guatemala 2026 — How much you need to live.
Legal Sources
- Acuerdo Gubernativo Number 256-2025 from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare — Sets the minimum wage effective January 1, 2026, published in the Official Gazette on December 22, 2025. Official announcement: Diario de Centro América. MINTRAB publishes the agreement itself at
mintrabajo.gob.gt/doc/AcuerdosGubernativos/2025/, which returns 403 to every automated client, so that PDF is named here rather than linked as read. - Labor Code of Guatemala (Decreto 1441), Articles 103-113 — General framework for minimum wage.
- Decreto 78-89 — Q250 Monthly Incentive Bonus Law.
- Labor Code Art. 116 — Definition of work shifts.
- Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare — www.mintrabajo.gob.gt
- Full text: Labour Code (Decreto 1441) — CENADOJ consolidated text
- Full text of Decreto 78-89: PDF published by the Congreso — an image-only scan with no text layer, so it is not searchable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Guatemala 2026?
It depends on sector and economic zone. In Guatemala department (CE1), non-agricultural minimum is Q4,002.28/month + Q250 incentive bonus = Q4,252.28 total (~$558 USD). Agricultural: Q3,791.20 + Q250 = Q4,041.20. Maquila: Q3,409.73 + Q250 = Q3,659.73. The rest of the country (CE2) is slightly lower.
What is the Q250 incentive bonus?
A mandatory monthly bonus on top of base salary, established by Decreto 78-89. Paid with the monthly salary but NOT included when calculating Bono 14, Aguinaldo, vacation, or severance. It’s called ‘incentive’ because it sits outside ordinary salary.
What are the economic zones (CE1 and CE2)?
CE1: applies to all municipalities of the Guatemala department. CE2: applies to the other 21 departments of the country. The differentiation reflects cost-of-living differences between the capital and the interior.
What is the daily minimum wage in Guatemala 2026?
Acuerdo Gubernativo 256-2025 publishes daily rates directly - it does not leave them to be derived. CE1: Non-Agricultural Q131.58/day, Agricultural Q124.64/day, Export/Maquila Q112.10/day. CE2: Non-Agricultural Q125.49/day, Agricultural Q119.21/day, Export/Maquila Q105.90/day. Those are the legal daily floors. Separately, payroll practice often divides the monthly base by 30 (Q4,002.28 / 30 = Q133.41 for Non-Agricultural CE1) - that is an accounting convention, not a figure in the decree, and it is slightly higher because the decree’s monthly figure is the daily rate times 365/12 (30.42), not times 30. The Q250 incentive bonus is monthly and does NOT divide into 30 days.
What was the minimum wage in 2025?
For 2025, the Non-Agricultural CE1 minimum was approximately Q3,672.32 + Q250 bonus = Q3,922.32 monthly. The 2026 increase was ~8.4% in CE1 Non-Agricultural.
What if my employer doesn't pay the minimum wage?
Serious labor violation. Under Labor Code Art. 272 literal a), as reformed by Decreto 7-2017, the employer faces a fine of 8 to 18 monthly minimum wages in force for non-agricultural activities - Q32,018 to Q72,041 at the 2026 CE1 figure of Q4,002.28 (Q30,535 to Q68,704 at the CE2 figure of Q3,816.90). The law does not say the fine stacks by headcount; the Departmental Delegate grades it within the band. The employer also owes retroactive payment of owed wages with interest. File complaint at MINTRAB - General Labor Inspection or line 1539.
Does minimum wage apply to domestic workers?
Yes. The Labor Code makes no distinction by type of work. Domestic workers are entitled to the Non-Agricultural minimum wage for their economic zone, plus the Q250 bonus.
How does it apply to part-time or hourly workers?
Minimum wage is for a FULL workday (8 hours daily, 44 hours weekly per Labor Code Art. 116). For half-time: minimum Q4,002.28/2 = Q2,001.14 (Non-Agricultural CE1). Hourly: Q4,002.28 / 44h/week / 4.33 weeks/month = ~Q21.00/hour.
