Key Facts: Eritrea vs Cameroon Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Cameroon Minimum Wage
- FCFA254/hr ($0.46 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Cameroon Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- FCFA200,000 /mo ($359.07 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), Ministère du Travail et de la Sécurité Sociale — Cameroon (2026-02-25)
Eritrea 
Cameroon
Updated 2026-02-25
The minimum wage in Eritrea is roughly 88 times higher than in Cameroon in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a lower-middle-income economy. Average salaries are higher in Eritrea at $400/mo compared to $359/mo in Cameroon. Cameroon has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 3.6% compared to 6.0%.
Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to Cameroon's 3.6%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | Cameroon |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | FCFA254 $0.46 |
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | FCFA43,969 $78.94 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | FCFA527,628 $947.27 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | FCFA200,000 /mo $359.07 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | FCFA170,000 /mo $305.21 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | FCFA600,000 /yr $1,077.20 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Eritrea is higher.
Work Week
- 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.
- Cameroon
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.2x pay
Labour Code sets standard working hours at 40 per week for non-agricultural workers and 48 hours for agricultural workers. Overtime rates: 120% for first 8 hours of weekly overtime, 140% for subsequent hours. Night work and holiday work have higher multipliers.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Cameroon to Eritrea would see a 8672% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while Cameroon mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Eritrea are $1,760 vs $18 in Cameroon.
See this comparison from Cameroon's perspective: Cameroon vs Eritrea
Compare Eritrea with...
Eritrea vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Eritrea vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Eritrea vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Eritrea vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Eritrea vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Eritrea vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Eritrea vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Eritrea vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Eritrea vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Eritrea vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Eritrea vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Eritrea vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Eritrea vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Eritrea vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Eritrea vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Eritrea vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Eritrea vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Eritrea vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Eritrea vs Switzerland 
Eritrea vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Eritrea vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Eritrea vs Sweden 
Eritrea vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Eritrea vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Eritrea or Cameroon?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In Cameroon, it is FCFA254/hr ($0.46 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 8672% 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 Cameroon may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much more does the average worker earn in Eritrea compared to Cameroon?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to FCFA200,000/mo ($359.07 USD) in Cameroon. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 11% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and Cameroon 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 Cameroon.
How do work hours compare between Eritrea and Cameroon?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Cameroon. Workers in Eritrea work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Cameroon 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.