Key Facts: Egypt vs South Sudan Wages
- Egypt Minimum Wage
- E£29.17/hr ($0.57 USD)
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- Egypt Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- E£6,833 /mo ($134.51 USD)
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 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 / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25)
Egypt 
South Sudan
Updated 2026-05-27
The minimum wage in Egypt is 62% lower than in South Sudan in USD terms, though average salaries tell a different story. Average gross salaries diverge further: $135/mo in Egypt versus $27/mo in South Sudan, a 4.9:1 ratio. Egypt has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 6.8% compared to 12.4%.
Egypt's unemployment rate is 6.8% compared to South Sudan's 12.4%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Egypt | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | E£29.17 $0.57 | — |
| Minimum wage /mo | E£7,000 $137.80 | £7,000 $1.52 |
| Minimum wage /yr | E£84,000 $1,653.54 | — |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | E£6,833 /mo $134.51 | £125,000 /mo $27.23 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | E£6,150 /mo $121.06 | £112,000 /mo $24.40 |
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.
- 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 in Egypt earns 166% less per hour in USD terms than one in South Sudan. Standard work weeks differ: Egypt mandates 48 hours while South Sudan mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Egypt are $28 vs $61 in South Sudan.
See this comparison from South Sudan's perspective: South Sudan 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 South Sudan?
In Egypt, the minimum wage is E£29.17/hr ($0.57 USD). In South Sudan, it is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). South Sudan has the higher rate by 166% 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 more does the average worker earn in Egypt compared to South Sudan?
The average gross salary in Egypt is E£6,833/mo ($134.51 USD), compared to £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD) in South Sudan. In USD terms, workers in Egypt earn approximately 394% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Egypt and South Sudan is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Egypt earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in South Sudan.
How do work hours compare between Egypt and South Sudan?
Egypt has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in South Sudan. Workers in Egypt work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in South Sudan 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.