Key Facts: Eritrea vs Finland Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Finland Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Finland Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- €3,900 /mo ($4,541.75 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (Työ- ja elinkeinoministeriö) (2026-02-24)
Eritrea 
Finland
Updated 2026-02-25
Unlike Finland, which has no statutory minimum wage, Eritrea mandates a wage floor of $40/mo. Average gross salaries diverge further: $400/mo in Eritrea versus $4,542/mo in Finland, a 11.4:1 ratio. Eritrea has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 6.0% compared to 9.5%.
Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to Finland's 9.5%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | Finland |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | None |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | €3,900 /mo $4,541.75 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | €2,700 /mo $3,144.29 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | €35,000 /yr $40,759.29 |
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.
- Finland
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Standard workweek is 40 hours (Working Hours Act / Työaikalaki). Regular daily working hours are 8 hours. Overtime for the first 2 hours is compensated at 150% and subsequent hours at 200%. Maximum overtime is 250 hours per calendar year. EU Working Time Directive limits average to 48 hrs/week.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while Finland mandates 40 hours.
See this comparison from Finland's perspective: Finland 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 Finland?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In Finland, it is no statutory minimum wage.
How much less does the average worker earn in Eritrea compared to Finland?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to €3,900/mo ($4,541.75 USD) in Finland. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 1035% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and Finland is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Finland earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Eritrea.
How do work hours compare between Eritrea and Finland?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Finland. Workers in Eritrea work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Finland 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.