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Key Facts: Bangladesh vs Ireland Wages

Bangladesh Minimum Wage
৳12,500/mo ($103.73 USD)
Ireland Minimum Wage
€14.15/hr ($16.48 USD)
Bangladesh Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
৳18,000 /mo ($149.38 USD)
Ireland Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
€4,350 /mo ($5,065.80 USD)
Data Sources
Ministry of Labour and Employment / Minimum Wage Board; sectoral structure cross-referenced via Wikipedia List of countries by minimum wage (2026-05-04), Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) (2026-03-02)

Bangladesh flag Bangladesh Ireland flag Ireland

Updated 2026-05-04

Bangladesh flag Bangladesh

Minimum Wage

৳12,500 /mo

$103.73 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

৳18,000 /mo

Ireland flag Ireland

Minimum Wage

€14.15 /hr

$16.48 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€4,350 /mo

Min wage: +530% Bangladesh vs Ireland Avg. salary: -97% Bangladesh vs Ireland

The minimum wage in Bangladesh is roughly 6 times higher than in Ireland in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a lower-middle-income and a high-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $149/mo in Bangladesh versus $5,066/mo in Ireland, a 33.9:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Ireland is 13.8x that of Bangladesh, underscoring the structural economic divide.

Bangladesh has lower GDP per capita ($9,647 vs $133,437). Bangladesh's unemployment rate is 3.8% compared to Ireland's 4.6%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Bangladesh and Ireland
Metric Bangladesh Ireland
Minimum wage /hr €14.15 $16.48
Minimum wage /mo ৳12,500 $103.73 €2,452.62 $2,856.20
Minimum wage /yr €29,432 $34,275.07
Avg. gross salary /mo ৳18,000 /mo $149.38 €4,350 /mo $5,065.80
Avg. net salary /mo ৳17,000 /mo $141.08 €3,100 /mo $3,610.11
Median individual income /yr ৳108,000 /yr $896.27 €40,000 /yr $46,582.04

Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Bangladesh is higher.

Work Week

Bangladesh

48 hrs/wk standard

Max 60 hrs/wk

Overtime : 2x pay

Bangladesh Labour Act sets standard at 48 hours/week (8 hrs/day, 6 days). Maximum with overtime is 60 hours/week. Overtime paid at double the basic wage. Factories must provide one day off per week.

Ireland

39 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

There is no single statutory standard workweek; 39 hours is the most common. The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 limits average weekly hours to 48 over a 4-month reference period. There is no statutory overtime rate; overtime pay is determined by employment contract or collective agreement.

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker moving from Ireland to Bangladesh would see a 530% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Bangladesh mandates 48 hours while Ireland mandates 39 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Bangladesh are $4,979 vs $643 in Ireland.

See this comparison from Ireland's perspective: Ireland vs Bangladesh

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Bangladesh or Ireland?

In Bangladesh, the minimum wage is ৳12,500/mo ($103.73 USD). In Ireland, it is €14.15/hr ($16.48 USD). Bangladesh has the higher rate by 530% in USD terms. That nominal gap does not account for local prices; see the purchasing power comparison below for a cost-of-living-adjusted view. Workers in Ireland may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

How much less does the average worker earn in Bangladesh compared to Ireland?

The average gross salary in Bangladesh is ৳18,000/mo ($149.38 USD), compared to €4,350/mo ($5,065.80 USD) in Ireland. In USD terms, workers in Bangladesh earn approximately 3291% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Bangladesh and Ireland is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Ireland earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Bangladesh.

How do work hours compare between Bangladesh and Ireland?

Bangladesh has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 39 hours in Ireland. Workers in Bangladesh work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Ireland working fewer hours may have comparable or better effective hourly earnings depending on the wage levels of each country. Total annual compensation depends on both the wage rate and the number of hours required.

What is the cost of living difference between Bangladesh and Ireland?

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Ireland has the higher GDP per capita at $133,437, which is 13.8x that of Bangladesh at $9,647. From Bangladesh's perspective, this means goods and services are priced at a lower economic level. A higher GDP per capita generally correlates with higher wages, higher consumer prices, and greater availability of goods and services. Workers moving between these two countries should expect significant differences in rent, food, and transportation costs.