There are as many perks to bartending as there are craft beers in the industry. And though it’s hard to pick a favorite, one of the best things about our job is the ability to travel around a bit more freely than your average nine-to-fiver.
No one is going to be a virtual bartender anytime soon, unless the metaverse thing takes off, so we’re stuck having to either a) be a traveling bartender or b) move our entire lives based on a few visits and things we read on the internet. Either way – you’ll need to be licensed and trained.
Here to help your bartending journey easy (wherever you may be!) Local Bartending School offers you help in all 50 United States, plus Canada.
But again, no matter where you’re reading this or thinking about moving to become a bartender, we want you to be as prosperous as possible.
Without further delay, here are the best countries for bartenders, and of course which have the best bartender salary around the world.
All wages are converted to U.S. dollars (USD). Do your research on the local currency and the cost of living.
Highest Paid Bartenders Across the World
- Adam Fournier, United States. Net worth:$27 million
- Bannie King, South Korea. Net worth: $5 million
- Tom Dryer, Portugal. Net worth: Unknown
Which country pays bartenders most?
I know I said the whole “without further delay” thing, but before you worry your pretty little head off about which country pays bartenders most, the truth is that a bartender’s salary varies a lot “from country to country, state to state, city to city, venue to venue, even shift to shift!”
- Years of experience under your belt
- Cost of living
- Your personal bartending career goals
Make sure you’re getting paid an amount that reflects not only your skill but how much it costs to live where you live. Even if you have no experience, you can make it work with the right training!
And if you’re looking to be the best flair bartender, maybe rural Wisconsin wouldn’t make you the most money, but your creative hard work would be rewarded in New York City.
Okay, now that those disclaimers are out of the way… I can finally tell you which country pays the most for bartender jobs.
Best Countries (and Salary) for Bartenders Around the World
How much do bartenders make abroad? A question for the ages. A question that’s about to be answered.
Mostly.
While our jobs are innately a blast, our jobs also entail a bit of darkness when it comes to reporting tips.
That being said, all of the following salaries range dramatically and might be skewed based on what’s reported by the masses.
U.S.’s Bartender Salary
At Local Bartending School, our instructors are always asked the same questions. Like, “What is the average salary of a bartender in the US?”, “What is the average bartender salary in the US?”, or “What does a bartender make in the United States?”
Like I said a bit earlier, things tend to range a bit (okay, more than a bit) but to make things easy for you, my friends, we have some ballpark ranges you can make some educated guesses from.
Overall, the mean hourly rate is about $15, plus tips of course.
As of April 2022, bartenders in the United States made a median salary of $22,883, but the range typically fell between $19,939 and $27,207.
Yearly Bartender Pay in the U.S. Regions
- East Coast – $44,000
- Midwest – $25,000
- South – $28,000
- West Coast – $40,000
You can make good money working at a bar on either coast (or in Hawaii, which we’ll discuss later), or in a big city like Boston, New York, San Francisco, or Miami. Those big cities pay more for bartenders. More mouths to pour liquor into, I guess!
Canada’s Bartender Salary
According to Indeed, Canadians earned about the same hourly rate as their southern neighbors–right around $15.00. Making their salary about the same as those in the U.S.
Hourly Bartender Pay in the Top Canadian Cities
- Montreal – $17.76 per hour
- Vancouver – $16.46
- Toronto – $14.65
- Ontario -$15.00
The real question you should ask yourself before you make the move to Canada is, can you stand your snot freezing when you walk outside?
Argentina’s Bartender Salary - Medium/Low Level
- Buenos Aires – $250 to $830 per month
- Mendoza – average is $560 per month
Brazil’s Bartender Salary - Medium/Low Level
If you’re looking to bartend in Brazil, get ready to calculate your earnings based on month instead of a year. Why? That’s just how they do things in Brazil!
If you’re behind the stick in this country, you can expect to earn anywhere from $350 to $1,100. Of course, this depends on experience, venue, etc. but also keep in mind our industry is known for not claiming 100% of their income.
France’s Bartender Salary - Medium/High Level
The U.S. does tend to think of bartending and restaurant work as a real career (no matter what your Boomer parents may think!), but the French see food and beverage as a way of life, let alone a career path.
And since there is a tipping culture established here, your chances to earn good money for being a good bartender are lookin’ great.
You can earn anywhere from $6-9 USD per hour. Tips do range greatly. One traveling bartender said they made nothing one night, then over $300-500 the next.
U.K.’s Bartender Salary - Medium/High Level
Taking into account the lack of tipping culture within bars, the English bartender’s salary comes in at $21,618 annually. That amounts to about $9.00 per hour.
Though, like most things in our world it seems, tipping culture is a’changing. Now, it’s not all that rare to see a service charge on your bill at a bar that serves food, too. But, let’s push for more shall, we U.K.?
Poland’s Bartender Salary - Medium/Low Level
No, we’re not talking about Poland, Indiana. Or Brazil, Indiana either. (Dang, Indiana ‘sup with the weird city names!?)
In Poland, you might expect to earn:
- $2.68 per hour
Uganda’s Bartender Salary - Low Level
- $132 to $281 per month
Despite that seeming like a low number according to our cost of living in the U.S., nightclubs are big in the Industrial Area in Kampala. It’s where Club Guvnor, Club Play, and Club Silk are, the top three dogs in the nightlife scene. They’re all known for their dance floors and trendy cocktails, which make a great night out and place to bartend in Uganda‘s capital.
Ireland’s Bartender Salary - High Level
Here, tipping isn’t expected except for table-side service. In Ireland, bartenders make on average between $10.13 – $14.54 per hour for their base pay. Dublin has a huge pub culture.
Mexico’s Bartender Salary- Medium/Low Level
According to Glassdoor, a bartender in Mexico City, Mexico earns about $186 to $733 per month. And that’s just what’s reported in tips, plus the common hourly wage of $6.90. If you want to hear it straight from the source, check out this video below!
New Zealand’s Bartender Salary- High Level
Quote Block
“Pay here is terrible. Expect $12-14 an hour and probably $14-32 per week in tips.” – RE201via Reddit
Due to cost of living the pay is considered not the best
Ghana’s Bartender Salary- Low Level
Wonder what type of skills the very best bartenders in Ghana have? It’s hard to nail down exactly what they possess, but they attribute their lessons from a bartending program to be the key contributor to their success.
- $55 to 272 per month
Japan’s Bartender Salary
Block Quote
“Bartending jobs are pretty frequent in Japan, but they usually don’t pay that well. Something like 900–1500 Yen [an] hour.”. – Walter Kasmer, an educator in Japan
China’s Bartender Salary- Low Level
Let’s just hope this robot arm spotted in China and the Winter Olympics doesn’t take our job anytime soon.
- Salary Explorer reports $84-135 per month
Maldives’ Bartender Salary
Sure, you’ll be basically stranded on a tiny piece of land out in the ocean. But earning potential here is lookin’ nice with plenty of resorts who need bartenders.
- $505 to 788 per month
Germany’s Bartender Salary- High Level
One of my favorite regulars was a man from Germany. If serving the whole country is as fun as this dude was, then I have high hopes for you, bartending friends.
Glassdoor says $25,000 to $66,286 per year
Greece’s Bartender Salary- Medium Level
Don’t speak Greek? Me either. But we’d both be okay bartending in Greece if we stayed in super touristy areas.
Based on Payscale, we know bartenders in Greece get paid:
- $3.50 to $9.50 per hour
South Africa’s Bartender Salary- Medium Level
Our hope is that someday you’ll be a successful bartender, just like South Africa’s Bartender of the Year Travis Kuhn. Watch more about Travis’ mission to help the industry and his community.
Bartenders earn $2,911 annually, according to Payscale
Chile’s Bartender Salary- Low Level
Besides Santiago, your quest for a job behind the bar in Chile could lead you Arica, Coquimbo, or Concepción. If you like college bars that are quick and dirty, Concepción may be the place for you.
Thanks to the Economic Research Institute, we know bartenders in Chile get paid:
- Hourly – $3.59
- Yearly – $7,477
Countries With The Best Salary For Bartenders
Finally, here are the best countries to be a bartender.
Australia’s Bartender Salary - High Level
In the 90s and 00s, America watched a sitcom Whose Line is Anyway?, where the point system was totally made up and they don’t matter a bit. That’s kind of how it goes in Australia. There’s no tipping system, which means your hourly rate is your hourly rate and that’s it.
The salaries of bartenders are generally the same in most states, cities, and venues. So it doesn’t matter where or when you work, you’ll make the same money.
In Australia, bartenders earn an average of $22.11 an hour, according to Payscale. Based on 40 hours a week, your potential yearly income is $40,000.
Monaco’s Bartender Salary- Very High Level
Like a lot of places throughout Canada and the United States, you can’t just walk into Monaco and expect to find a bartending job anywhere. The most common cities and those with the best opportunities are Monaco City (the capital city of Monaco) and Monte Carlo.
As far as pay goes, you can expect about $5,976 per month
Sweden’s Bartender Salary- Very High Level
Local bartenders report the pay being pretty decent here. The hourly rate is agreeable enough to not have to worry about earning tips. What a life, right?
- According to Payscale, hourly wages are between $13 and $19
Norway - Very High Level
Another nordic state. Noway boosts high salaries for service workers and one of the highest median incomes in the world.
Unpacking Frequently Asked Questions So You Don’t Have to Later
Can bartenders make 100k?
Did anyone ever doubt Snooki from making it big? Sure, but with the right attitude, she made it to stardom–and got her Guido. You can make $100,000 a year, live where you want, and be in with whoever you want with the right bartending path.
In what cities do bartenders make the most money?
Pack your bags, people. We’re going to Hawai’i. Kahului and Maui rank as the top two cities where bartenders make the most money in the United States. After Hawai’i falls Phoenix, Arizona, and a few cities in Boston metro area. The full list will tell you more about the top places in the U.S. to bartend.
Make the Money You Want and Live Where Ever You Want
So, out of all the places on this list, where would be your dream place to bartend?
Let us help you go from bartending zero to a bartending hero, no matter where you may end up! Only the very best industry experts teach online bartending classes over at Local Bartending School, so you’ll be in good hands from the very start–all the way from your first shift at your first job to your flair career.
Interview prep got your tongue? We’ve got you there, too. Read more over on our blog, made with the future mixologist in mind and rated one of the best blogs for bartenders by Feedspot!
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