Key Facts: El Salvador vs South Sudan Wages
- El Salvador Minimum Wage
- $2.13/hr
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- El Salvador Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- $500 /mo ($500 USD)
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- Data Sources
- Ministerio de Trabajo y Previsión Social (Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare) — El Salvador (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25)
El Salvador 
South Sudan
Updated 2026-02-25
El Salvador, a lower-middle-income economy, and South Sudan, classified as low-income, take different approaches to wage policy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $500/mo in El Salvador versus $27/mo in South Sudan, a 18.4:1 ratio. El Salvador has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 3.3% compared to 12.4%.
El Salvador's unemployment rate is 3.3% compared to South Sudan's 12.4%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | El Salvador | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | $2.13 | — |
| Minimum wage /mo | $408.80 | £7,000 $1.52 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | $500 /mo | £125,000 /mo $27.23 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | $435 /mo | £112,000 /mo $24.40 |
| Median individual income /yr | $3,600 /yr | N/A/yr |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means El Salvador is higher.
Work Week
- El Salvador
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Max 44 hrs/wk
Overtime : 2x pay
Standard workweek is 44 hours, typically spread over 6 days (8 hours/day plus 4 hours on Saturday, or 5.5 days). Overtime (beyond 44 hours/week) is paid at 2x the regular rate — one of the highest overtime premiums in the region. Work on the mandatory weekly rest day (usually Sunday) or on public holidays is also compensated at double the regular rate. Night work (7pm-6am) limited to 7 hours/day, 39 hours/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 El Salvador would see a 40% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: El Salvador mandates 44 hours while South Sudan mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in El Salvador are $94 vs $61 in South Sudan.
See this comparison from South Sudan's perspective: South Sudan vs El Salvador
Compare El Salvador with...
El Salvador vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
El Salvador vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
El Salvador vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
El Salvador vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
El Salvador vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
El Salvador vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
El Salvador vs France € 12.02 /hr 
El Salvador vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
El Salvador vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
El Salvador vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
El Salvador vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
El Salvador vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
El Salvador vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
El Salvador vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
El Salvador vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
El Salvador vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
El Salvador vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
El Salvador vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
El Salvador vs Switzerland 
El Salvador vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
El Salvador vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
El Salvador vs Sweden 
El Salvador vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
El Salvador vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in El Salvador or South Sudan?
In El Salvador, the minimum wage is $2.13/hr. In South Sudan, it is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). El Salvador has the higher rate by 40% 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 El Salvador compared to South Sudan?
The average gross salary in El Salvador is $500/mo, compared to £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD) in South Sudan. In USD terms, workers in El Salvador earn approximately 1736% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between El Salvador and South Sudan is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in El Salvador earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in South Sudan.
How do work hours compare between El Salvador and South Sudan?
El Salvador has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in South Sudan. Workers in El Salvador work 44 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.