Key Facts: Belgium vs South Sudan Wages
- Belgium Minimum Wage
- €13.30/hr ($15.49 USD)
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- Belgium Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- €3,886 /mo ($4,525.45 USD)
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- Data Sources
- SPF Emploi, Travail et Concertation Sociale; 2026 figure verified via Wikipedia EU member states by minimum wage table (eff 2026-04-01) (2026-05-04), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25)
Belgium 
South Sudan
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Belgium is roughly 10 times higher than in South Sudan in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a high-income and a low-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $4,525/mo in Belgium versus $27/mo in South Sudan, a 166.2:1 ratio. Belgium has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 5.9% compared to 12.4%.
Belgium's unemployment rate is 5.9% compared to South Sudan's 12.4%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Belgium | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | €13.30 $15.49 | — |
| Minimum wage /mo | €2,189.81 $2,550.15 | £7,000 $1.52 |
| Minimum wage /yr | €26,277.72 $30,601.75 | — |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | €3,886 /mo $4,525.45 | £125,000 /mo $27.23 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | €2,450 /mo $2,853.15 | £112,000 /mo $24.40 |
| Median individual income /yr | €33,000 /yr $38,430.19 | N/A/yr |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Belgium is higher.
Work Week
- Belgium
-
38 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Standard workweek is 38 hours (Labour Act). Daily maximum is 8 hours (9 hours with flexible schedules). Overtime requires authorization and must be compensated at 150% on weekdays and 200% on Sundays/public holidays. Compensatory time off is also required. EU Working Time Directive caps average at 48 hrs/week.
- South Sudan
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Labour Act 2017 sets 40 hours/week as standard. Enforcement is effectively non-existent across most of the country due to ongoing conflict, institutional collapse, and absence of functioning labour inspectorates.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from South Sudan to Belgium would see a 916% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Belgium mandates 38 hours while South Sudan mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Belgium are $589 vs $61 in South Sudan.
See this comparison from South Sudan's perspective: South Sudan vs Belgium
Compare Belgium with...
Belgium vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Belgium vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Belgium vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Belgium vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Belgium vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Belgium vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Belgium vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Belgium vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Belgium vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Belgium vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Belgium vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Belgium vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Belgium vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Belgium vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Belgium vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Belgium vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Belgium vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Belgium vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Belgium vs Switzerland 
Belgium vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Belgium vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Belgium vs Sweden 
Belgium vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Belgium vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Belgium or South Sudan?
In Belgium, the minimum wage is €13.30/hr ($15.49 USD). In South Sudan, it is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). Belgium has the higher rate by 916% 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 South Sudan may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much more does the average worker earn in Belgium compared to South Sudan?
The average gross salary in Belgium is €3,886/mo ($4,525.45 USD), compared to £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD) in South Sudan. In USD terms, workers in Belgium earn approximately 16521% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Belgium and South Sudan is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Belgium earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in South Sudan.
How do work hours compare between Belgium and South Sudan?
South Sudan has a longer standard work week at 40 hours, compared to 38 hours in Belgium. Workers in Belgium work 38 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Belgium 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.