Key Facts: Egypt vs Eritrea Wages
- Egypt Minimum Wage
- E£29.17/hr ($0.57 USD)
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Egypt Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- E£6,833 /mo ($134.51 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Data Sources
- Ministry of Manpower / National Wages Council; 2025 and 2026 announcements verified via JETRO citing Egyptian government sources (2026-05-27), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25)
Egypt 
Eritrea
Updated 2026-05-27
The minimum wage in Egypt is roughly 70 times lower than in Eritrea in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a lower-middle-income and a low-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $135/mo in Egypt versus $400/mo in Eritrea, a 3.0:1 ratio.
Egypt's unemployment rate is 6.8% compared to Eritrea's 6.0%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Egypt | Eritrea |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | E£29.17 $0.57 | — |
| Minimum wage /mo | E£7,000 $137.80 | Nfk600 $40 |
| Minimum wage /yr | E£84,000 $1,653.54 | — |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | E£6,833 /mo $134.51 | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | E£6,150 /mo $121.06 | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Egypt is higher.
Work Week
- Egypt
-
48 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.35x pay
Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 sets maximum working hours at 8 hours/day or 48 hours/week (excluding meal breaks). Overtime premium: 35% during the day, 70% at night. Maximum 2 overtime hours/day. Friday is the default weekly rest day. During Ramadan, working hours are commonly reduced in practice.
- Eritrea
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Labour Law sets 44 hours/week for civilian workers (8 hours/day, 5.5 days). However, the national service program operates under military regulations outside normal labour law. No reliable enforcement or monitoring data is available.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker in Egypt earns 6866% less per hour in USD terms than one in Eritrea. Standard work weeks differ: Egypt mandates 48 hours while Eritrea mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Egypt are $28 vs $1,760 in Eritrea.
See this comparison from Eritrea's perspective: Eritrea vs Egypt
Compare Egypt with...
Egypt vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Egypt vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Egypt vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Egypt vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Egypt vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Egypt vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Egypt vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Egypt vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Egypt vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Egypt vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Egypt vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Egypt vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Egypt vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Egypt vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Egypt vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Egypt vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Egypt vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Egypt vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Egypt vs Switzerland 
Egypt vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Egypt vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Egypt vs Sweden 
Egypt vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Egypt vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Egypt or Eritrea?
In Egypt, the minimum wage is E£29.17/hr ($0.57 USD). In Eritrea, it is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 6866% 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 Egypt may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much less does the average worker earn in Egypt compared to Eritrea?
The average gross salary in Egypt is E£6,833/mo ($134.51 USD), compared to Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD) in Eritrea. In USD terms, workers in Egypt earn approximately 197% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Egypt and Eritrea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Eritrea earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Egypt.
How do work hours compare between Egypt and Eritrea?
Egypt has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in Eritrea. Workers in Egypt work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Eritrea 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.