Average salary in Tonga
What people take home per month and earn per year, by industry and against other countries
Wages in Tonga
92% of gross pay stays in hand after income tax and employee contributions
Per employee, all industries
Take-home / mo
TOP 1,760
Gross / yr
TOP 23,000
Salaries in Tonga by industry
Take-home pay by industry against the national average
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Key facts
Salaries in Tonga in numbers
Arts & recreation pays the most, and by an unusual margin
It averages TOP 4,160 a month, +137% against the national average, where the same industry usually sits at -13%.
Agriculture & fishing is where the country places highest
It ranks #8 of 105 in the world, while Tonga ranks #83 of 169 on pay overall.
Industries pay 3.6× apart
Water & waste sits at the bottom on TOP 1,150 a month, against a national average of TOP 1,760.
Pays well below the middle in Oceania
TOP 1,760 a month against TOP 2,930 for the middle country in Oceania.
How salaries in Tonga compare
Neighbours, region and the world on the same take-home figure
Industries against the world
Where this country pays an industry more, or less, than that industry is usually paid
Pays more than usual here
- Arts & recreation+137% here, usually -13%
- Agriculture & fishing+56% here, usually -38%
- Manufacturing+40% here, usually -6%
Pays less than usual here
- IT & communication-28% here, usually +47%
- Finance & insurance+7% here, usually +57%
- Energy & utilities+2% here, usually +36%
“Usually” is what the same industry pays above or below the national average in a typical country
Data source: Mean monthly earnings 2023 (ILOSTAT), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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What you could earn in Tonga
Tell us what you do and what you earn today — we'll estimate what someone with your background could earn in Tonga, what your living costs might be, and what you could save
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- What you could spend and save
- How it compares with today
Take-home in Tonga
TOP 509/mo
vs TOP 2,860 in your country
Cost of living
TOP 631
vs TOP 1,910 in your country
Potential savings
−TOP 122
more than in your country
Standard of living
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Tonga?
The average salary in Tonga is TOP 1,910 a month before tax, or TOP 1,760 take-home after tax and social contributions. Over a year that's TOP 23,000 before tax and TOP 21,100 after.
What is the average salary in Tonga in US dollars?
The average salary in Tonga in US dollars is about $9,636 a year before tax, or $738 a month after tax.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Tonga?
The highest-paying jobs in Tonga are in arts, agriculture, and manufacturing. Take-home pay in these industries averages around TOP 4,160 a month (about TOP 54,200 gross a year), roughly 137% above the national average.
What is a good salary in Tonga?
A good salary in Tonga is generally one above the national average — more than TOP 1,760 take-home a month, or TOP 23,000 gross a year. But a lot depends on your spending, where you live, and your financial goals.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Tonga?
A typical person in Tonga spends about TOP 1,210 a month, while the average take-home pay is TOP 1,760. How much you need to live comfortably depends on the city, your family situation, and how you usually spend. See the cost of living in Tonga for the full picture.
What are the lowest-paying jobs in Tonga?
Water is the lowest-paying industry in Tonga. Pay there averages around TOP 1,150 a month take-home (about TOP 15,000 gross a year). For comparison, the highest-paying industries pay about 3.6 times more.
Is Tonga a high-salary country?
Moderately. By average after-tax pay, Tonga is ahead of 51% of countries worldwide and ranks 8th out of 11 countries in Oceania.
Where to live?
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Living in Tonga
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