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Key Facts: Dominican Republic vs North Korea Wages

Dominican Republic Minimum Wage
RD$91.30/hr ($1.50 USD)
North Korea Minimum Wage
No statutory minimum wage
Dominican Republic Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
RD$32,000 /mo ($526.32 USD)
North Korea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
₩100,000 /mo ($111.11 USD)
Data Sources
Ministerio de Trabajo — República Dominicana (2026-02-24), ILO / World Bank / Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) / NK News (2026-02-25)

Dominican Republic flag Dominican Republic North Korea flag North Korea

Updated 2026-02-25

Dominican Republic flag Dominican Republic

Minimum Wage

RD$91.30 /hr

$1.50 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

RD$32,000 /mo

North Korea flag North Korea

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

₩100,000 /mo

Avg. salary: +374% Dominican Republic vs North Korea

Unlike North Korea, which has no statutory minimum wage, the Dominican Republic mandates a wage floor of $2/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $526/mo in the Dominican Republic versus $111/mo in North Korea, a 4.7:1 ratio.

The Dominican Republic's unemployment rate is 5.1% compared to North Korea's 3.5%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Dominican Republic and North Korea
Metric Dominican Republic North Korea
Minimum wage /hr RD$91.30 $1.50 None
Minimum wage /mo RD$21,000 $345.39 None
Minimum wage /yr RD$273,000 $4,490.13 None
Avg. gross salary /mo RD$32,000 /mo $526.32 ₩100,000 /mo $111.11
Avg. net salary /mo RD$28,480 /mo $468.42 ₩90,000 /mo $100
Median individual income /yr RD$204,000 /yr $3,355.26 N/A/yr

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

Work Week

Dominican Republic

44 hrs/wk standard

Max 44 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.35x pay

Código de Trabajo (Labour Code) sets the standard workweek at 44 hours and workday at 8 hours. Night work (6pm-6am) maximum 36 hours/week. Mixed shifts maximum 40 hours/week. Overtime paid at 35% premium for the first 68 hours/month (beyond the standard 44-hour week), and 100% premium thereafter. Sunday and holiday work paid at double the regular rate.

North Korea

48 hrs/wk standard

The North Korean Labour Law formally sets an 8-hour working day. In practice, many workers are required to spend additional hours in compulsory political study, military training, and 'volunteer' labour campaigns. The actual workweek for state employees varies widely by sector and location. No independent verification of labour conditions is possible.

What This Means for Workers

Standard work weeks differ: the Dominican Republic mandates 44 hours while North Korea mandates 48 hours.

See this comparison from North Korea's perspective: North Korea vs Dominican Republic

Compare Dominican Republic with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Dominican Republic or North Korea?

In the Dominican Republic, the minimum wage is RD$91.30/hr ($1.50 USD). In North Korea, it is no statutory minimum wage.

How much more does the average worker earn in Dominican Republic compared to North Korea?

The average gross salary in the Dominican Republic is RD$32,000/mo ($526.32 USD), compared to ₩100,000/mo ($111.11 USD) in North Korea. In USD terms, workers in the Dominican Republic earn approximately 374% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Dominican Republic and North Korea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in the Dominican Republic earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in North Korea.

How do work hours compare between Dominican Republic and North Korea?

North Korea has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in the Dominican Republic. Workers in the Dominican Republic work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in the Dominican Republic 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.