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Regional Minimum Wage of Rio Grande do Sul Gains Highlight by Establishing Salary Ranges Above the National Minimum, with Adjustment Approved in State Law.
The regional minimum wage of Rio Grande do Sul reaches R$ 2,267.21 at the highest range and keeps values above the national minimum wage, which increased to R$ 1,621 with a 6.79% adjustment.
The new figures for the Gaúcho minimum wage were defined in a state law approved by the Legislative Assembly and sanctioned by the State government, with an increase of 8% over the previous values and divided into five ranges, according to occupation.
In Brazil, the minimum wage is the lowest amount that can legally be paid to a worker, also serving as a reference for benefits and contributions.
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In 2026, the national value increased from R$ 1,518 to R$ 1,621, according to a decree published at the end of 2025 and effective since January 1st.
Regional Minimum Wage in RS: Rules and Who Is Affected
Although the national minimum applies to the entire country, some states adopt their own minimum wages for certain categories.
This is the case in Rio Grande do Sul, which applies the so-called regional minimum wage to workers without a wage defined in collective agreements, formal agreements, or specific legislation.
The rule follows the authorization described in Federal Complementary Law 103, which allows for the creation of state minimum wages under these conditions.
In practice, the regional minimum does not replace the national minimum in any situation.
It acts as an additional benchmark for categories included in the ranges set forth in the state law and generally refers to the activity performed.
8% Adjustment and Law No. 16.311: What Changed in the Ranges
The 8% adjustment of the regional minimum wage was sanctioned in June 2025 and published in the State Official Gazette.
The norm is the Law No. 16.311, of June 10, 2025, which updated the values of the five ranges and listed the categories covered.
With the current figures, the difference between the ceiling of the regional minimum wage and the national minimum reaches about R$ 646, as Range 5 is set at R$ 2,267.21, while the country’s minimum wage is at R$ 1,621.
Five Ranges of the Regional Minimum Wage: Values and Categories Framed
Range 1 has been fixed at R$ 1,789.04 and includes, among other groups, workers in agriculture and livestock, extractive industries, fishing, domestic employees, tourism and hospitality, and construction, as well as operational functions related to these sectors.
In Range 2, the value rises to R$ 1,830.23, covering activities such as part of the clothing and footwear industry, as well as service areas, such as segments related to health, cleaning, and out-of-home food, like hotels, restaurants, and bars, according to the listing provided for in the legislation.
Range 3 establishes R$ 1,871.75 and includes categories related to industries such as food, furniture, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, as well as general commerce and storage activities, following the legal detailing of the regional minimum wage.
Meanwhile, Range 4, at R$ 1,945.67, includes workers from industries such as metallurgy, printing, glass, and rubber, as well as support functions in condominiums and security services, among other categorizations described in the law.
Finally, Range 5 reaches R$ 2,267.21, primarily aimed at mid-level technicians, forming the highest value of the Gaúcho regional minimum wage among the established ranges.
DIEESE and the Necessary Minimum Wage: Distance to the Cost of Living
Even with adjustments to the national minimum and regional minimum wages above the federal reference, studies by the Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socioeconomic Studies (DIEESE) indicate a gap between the current minimum and what would be necessary to cover basic expenses for a family.
In the snapshot from September 2025, DIEESE calculated the so-called necessary minimum wage at R$ 7,075.83, an estimate based on the cost of the basic food basket and essential expenses such as housing, health, education, clothing, hygiene, transportation, and leisure, in a standard family composition used in the study.
This methodology does not establish an official amount, but serves as an indicator of the purchasing power of the minimum wage over time.
Nonetheless, the data is frequently used in debates about the cost of living, minimum wage valuation policies, and salary negotiations in different sectors.
With the national minimum wage at R$ 1,621, the difference to the value indicated by DIEESE in September 2025 exceeds R$ 5,000, which helps to illustrate the challenge of closing the household budget solely with the federal minimum, especially in urban centers where fixed expenses weigh more.
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