The average salary of an industrial worker in Venezuela covers barely 41% of the cost of the basic food basket, highlighting a deep gap between income and the cost of living. Even at large companies, where monthly income reaches US$455, workers earn only enough to cover 63% of what a family of five needs.
The Daily Journal.- Although Venezuela’s official minimum wage stands at less than one dollar per month, the national government maintains a bonus system that provides around US$240 at the official exchange rate set by the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV).
As for compensation for specialized workers, Conindustria’s Industrial Business Survey found that a worker or operator in Venezuela’s private manufacturing sector earned an average monthly income of US$298 during the second quarter of 2026.
Small companies: US$256
Medium-sized companies: US$271
Large companies: US$455
Food basket and income shortfall
The Documentation and Social Analysis Center of the Venezuelan Federation of Teachers (Cendas-FVM) reported that a family of five needed US$756.45; this remains far above the average industrial wage.
Average salary coverage: 41%
Coverage at large companies: 63%
Wage gap and outlook
The gap widens for positions with greater responsibility:
Professionals and technicians at small companies: US$487
Managers at large companies: US$1,937
Conindustria President Tito López acknowledged that compensation “is still below what the sector would like,” but said that “as the economy recovers and we increase production, we will also increase wages and salaries.”
The figures reflect a structural income crisis in Venezuela. Although industrial wages exceed the national minimum wage, they still fall short of covering families’ basic needs. The sector sees a recovery in production as the only path toward improving workers’ purchasing power.
With information from Conindustria
