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Key Facts: Bulgaria vs Somalia Wages

Bulgaria Minimum Wage
лв7.30/hr ($4.40 USD)
Somalia Minimum Wage
No statutory minimum wage
Bulgaria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
лв2,200 /mo ($1,325.30 USD)
Somalia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
Sh150,000 /mo ($262.70 USD)
Data Sources
Ministry of Labour and Social Policy; 2026 figure verified via Wikipedia EU member states by minimum wage table (eff 2026-01-01) (2026-05-04), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / UN OCHA Somalia (2026-02-25)

Bulgaria flag Bulgaria Somalia flag Somalia

Updated 2026-05-04

Bulgaria flag Bulgaria

Minimum Wage

лв7.30 /hr

$4.40 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

лв2,200 /mo

Somalia flag Somalia

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

Sh150,000 /mo

Avg. salary: +404% Bulgaria vs Somalia

Unlike Somalia, which has no statutory minimum wage, Bulgaria mandates a wage floor of $4/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $1,325/mo in Bulgaria versus $263/mo in Somalia, a 5.0:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Bulgaria is 26.2x that of Somalia, underscoring the structural economic divide.

Bulgaria has higher GDP per capita ($41,969 vs $1,602). Bulgaria's unemployment rate is 3.5% compared to Somalia's 18.9%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Bulgaria and Somalia
Metric Bulgaria Somalia
Minimum wage /hr лв7.30 $4.40 None
Minimum wage /mo лв1,213 $730.72 None
Minimum wage /yr лв14,556 $8,768.67 None
Avg. gross salary /mo лв2,200 /mo $1,325.30 Sh150,000 /mo $262.70
Avg. net salary /mo лв1,720 /mo $1,036.14 Sh140,000 /mo $245.18
Median individual income /yr лв14,400 /yr $8,674.70 N/A/yr

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

Work Week

Bulgaria

40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Standard workweek is 40 hours over 5 days. Overtime premium: 50% for weekdays, 75% for weekends, 100% for public holidays. Annual overtime limit of 150 hours.

Somalia

48 hrs/wk standard

No reliable standardised workweek provisions are enforced. Friday is the weekly rest day. Labour conditions vary widely between sectors — from formal NGO employment with international standards to highly exploitative informal arrangements. Somaliland and Puntland have some locally administered labour rules.

What This Means for Workers

Standard work weeks differ: Bulgaria mandates 40 hours while Somalia mandates 48 hours.

See this comparison from Somalia's perspective: Somalia vs Bulgaria

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Bulgaria or Somalia?

In Bulgaria, the minimum wage is лв7.30/hr ($4.40 USD). In Somalia, it is no statutory minimum wage.

How much more does the average worker earn in Bulgaria compared to Somalia?

The average gross salary in Bulgaria is лв2,200/mo ($1,325.30 USD), compared to Sh150,000/mo ($262.70 USD) in Somalia. In USD terms, workers in Bulgaria earn approximately 404% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Bulgaria and Somalia is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Bulgaria earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Somalia.

How do work hours compare between Bulgaria and Somalia?

Somalia has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in Bulgaria. Workers in Bulgaria work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Bulgaria 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 Bulgaria and Somalia?

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Bulgaria has the higher GDP per capita at $41,969, which is 26.2x that of Somalia at $1,602. From Bulgaria's perspective, this means goods and services are priced at a higher 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.