Countries › Costa Rica › Guide › 7. Labor and employment › Minimum wage in Costa Rica: the 2026 decree table from ₡373,092.30 a month, the 1.70% increase for 2027 and the switch to daily minimums

Minimum wage in Costa Rica: the 2026 decree table from ₡373,092.30 a month, the 1.70% increase for 2027 and the switch to daily minimums

Last verified: 2026-10-29 · Status: Changing

Costa Rica sets a table of private sector minimum wages by occupation and degree, not a single figure: in 2026 the generic monthly minimum runs from ₡373,092.30 for unskilled work to ₡796,921.00 for a university licenciado (Decreto 45303-MTSS). The Consejo Nacional de Salarios approved on 28 October 2026 a general increase of 1.70% from 1 January 2027, and from that date every minimum will be expressed per working day. A worker hired for a job requiring a degree must be paid the minimum for that degree.

USD figures use the Banco Central de Costa Rica reference selling rate of ₡454.82 per US dollar published for 29 October 2026 (indicator 318 on bccr.fi.cr), rounded to the cent. Fines use the 2026 salario base of ₡462,200 (Circular 246-2025 of the Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial, under Ley 7337 art. 2).

Key facts

Generic monthly minimum wage, unskilled worker (2026)	373092.30 CRCDecreto 45303-MTSS art. 1(b), as of 2026-01-01 · in force
Generic monthly minimum, unskilled (2026), USD at ₡454.82	820.31 USDDecreto 45303-MTSS art. 1(b), as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Daily minimum wage, unskilled worker (2026)	12436.41 CRCDecreto 45303-MTSS art. 1(a), as of 2026-01-01 · in force
Monthly minimum, licenciado universitario (2026)	796921.00 CRCDecreto 45303-MTSS art. 1(b), as of 2026-01-01 · in force
General minimum wage increase for 2026	1.63 %Decreto 45303-MTSS recital VI, as of 2026-01-01 · in force
General minimum wage increase from 1 January 2027	1.70 %Consejo Nacional de Salarios, 28 October 2026, as of 2027-01-01 · pending

The rule

1. Salary is freely agreed but may not be below the legal minimum, and every worker has the right to a minimum wage set periodically by type of work and region.Ley 2, Código de Trabajo, art. 163 and art. 177, 1943-08-27 official text · verified 2026-10-29

2. The Consejo Nacional de Salarios sets minimum wages for one year, by 1 November each year, and the MTSS officialises them by executive decree effective 1 January.Decreto Ejecutivo 45303-MTSS, recitals II and VI (citing Ley 832 art. 16 to 18), recitals II and VI, 2025-11-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29

3. Minimum wages from 1 January 2026 (1.63% general increase plus specific adjustments): daily ₡12,436.41 unskilled, ₡13,523.69 semi skilled, ₡13,991.86 skilled, ₡16,244.50 specialised; monthly generic ₡373,092.30 unskilled up to ₡796,921.00 for licenciados; domestic work ₡268,731.31 a month.
Example: Licenciado universitario: ₡796,921.00 a month. / About US$1,752.17 a month.Decreto Ejecutivo 45303-MTSS, art. 1, 2025-11-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29 · changed: From 1 January 2026 all minimums rose 1.63%, with additional increases for domestic work (2.33962%), generic specialised work (0.5562880%) and técnico medio (0.88768%); the decree repealed Decreto 44756-MTSS (art. 8).

4. Where a law or the employer requires a given academic degree, the minimum for that degree applies unless the duties belong to a higher category; degree minimums apply to holders of recognised university titles, and bachilleres and licenciados subject to availability within art. 143 limits earn 23% more.
Example: Licenciado on availability: ₡796,921.00 x 1.23 = ₡980,212.83. / About US$2,155.17.Decreto Ejecutivo 45303-MTSS, art. 1(b), 2025-11-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29

5. Minimum wages refer to the ordinary working day; in commercial activities the salary includes the weekly rest day and in non commercial activities it does not. If the employer pays monthly or fortnightly, all days are paid at thirty days a month; a day worked means eight hours.Decreto Ejecutivo 45303-MTSS, art. 3 and art. 7, 2025-11-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29

6. On 28 October 2026 the Consejo Nacional de Salarios approved unanimously a general increase of 1.70% from 1 January 2027, plus an additional 0.88768% for técnico medio; domestic work was left for a later decision. Monthly increases quoted by the MTSS: ₡6,342.57 unskilled, ₡7,135.85 skilled, ₡11,289.33 bachiller universitario, ₡12,931.56 técnico medio.
Example: Unskilled generic: ₡373,092.30 + ₡6,342.57 = ₡379,434.87 a month. / About US$834.25 a month.MTSS press release COP-MTSS-PRE-022-2026, Consejo Nacional de Salarios decision of 28 October 2026, 2026-10-28 official text · verified 2026-10-29 · changed: 2027 increase approved: 1.70% general from 1 January 2027, pending the new decree.

7. Under resolution 1 of 12 October 2026 of the Consejo Nacional de Salarios, from 1 January 2027 all minimum wages will be expressed per working day (piece rates for coffee picking and stevedoring excepted); monthly paid workers will receive the daily minimum times 30, without changing agreed pay periods.Decreto Ejecutivo 45303-MTSS, SCIJ note on art. 1 and art. 7 (CNS resolution 1 of 12 October 2026), art. 1 and art. 7, 2026-10-12 official text · verified 2026-10-29 · changed: From 1 January 2027 monthly minimums are converted into daily amounts (resolution of 12 October 2026).

8. Salaries up to the lowest monthly minimum in the decree cannot be garnished; above it, one eighth of the portion up to three times that amount and one quarter of the rest can be garnished, and up to 50% for child support.Ley 2, Código de Trabajo, as reformed by Ley 6159, art. 172, 1977-11-25 official text · verified 2026-10-29

Category	Unit	CRC	USD
Unskilled (no calificada)	Daily	₡12,436.41	US$27.34
Semi skilled	Daily	₡13,523.69	US$29.73
Skilled	Daily	₡13,991.86	US$30.76
Specialised	Daily	₡16,244.50	US$35.72
Unskilled (generic)	Monthly	₡373,092.30	US$820.31
Semi skilled (generic)	Monthly	₡405,710.70	US$892.02
Skilled (generic)	Monthly	₡419,755.80	US$922.91
Specialised (generic)	Monthly	₡487,335	US$1,071.49
Técnico medio de educación diversificada	Monthly	₡496,838.17	US$1,092.38
Técnico de educación superior	Monthly	₡542,096.58	US$1,191.89
Diplomado de educación superior	Monthly	₡585,484.58	US$1,287.29
Bachiller universitario	Monthly	₡664,078.07	US$1,460.09
Licenciado universitario	Monthly	₡796,921	US$1,752.17
Domestic work	Monthly	₡268,731.31	US$590.85

Private sector minimum wages from 1 January 2026 (Decreto 45303-MTSS art. 1), with USD at ₡454.82

Worked example

An unskilled worker paid monthly in 2026 must receive at least ₡373,092.30 (US$820.31). From 1 January 2027 the minimum becomes ₡379,434.87 (US$834.25) and is expressed per day.

Step by step

Classify each job against the occupational profiles of Resolución Administrativa 03-2000 (Decreto 45303-MTSS art. 4).
Check whether the job requires a degree; if so apply the degree minimum.
Update payroll for 1 January 2027 once the new decree is published, using the daily amounts.
Keep salaries above the minimum that were set by contract or collective agreement; the decree does not lower them (art. 5).

Common traps

Requiring a bachiller or licenciado title in the job ad triggers the degree minimum, even for routine duties.
Commercial employers must pay the weekly rest day within the minimum; non commercial employers paying monthly must still pay thirty days.
The domestic work minimum for 2027 was still pending on 28 October 2026.

Sources

← Employment contracts in Costa Rica: written contract contents, indefinite term by default, fixed terms of one or five years and the first three monthsWorking hours and overtime in Costa Rica: 8 hours by day, 6 by night, 48 a week, overtime at 150% and a 12 hour daily ceiling →

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