Key Facts: Eritrea vs Guinea-Bissau Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Guinea-Bissau Minimum Wage
- CFA19,030/mo ($34.17 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Guinea-Bissau Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- CFA95,000 /mo ($170.56 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), ILOSTAT (DF_EAR_INEE_CUR_NB, 2024 reporting); confirmed via Wikipedia master list (citation [95]) (2026-05-04)
Eritrea
Guinea-Bissau
Updated 2026-05-04
Both low-income economies, Eritrea and Guinea-Bissau set comparable minimum wage floors in USD terms. Average gross salaries diverge further: $400/mo in Eritrea versus $171/mo in Guinea-Bissau, a 2.3:1 ratio. Guinea-Bissau has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 2.7% compared to 6.0%.
From Eritrea's perspective: adjusting for purchasing power, Eritrea's minimum wage buys more than Guinea-Bissau's. The PPP-adjusted hourly rate in Eritrea is $121 international dollars, compared to $97 in Guinea-Bissau. Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to Guinea-Bissau's 2.7%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | Guinea-Bissau |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /day | — | CFA761 $1.37 |
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | CFA19,030 $34.17 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | CFA95,000 /mo $170.56 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | N/A/mo |
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.
- Guinea-Bissau
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Labour Code sets 40 hours/week as the standard. Overtime provisions apply to formal employment. Portuguese is the official language; labour law reflects Lusophone and OHADA traditions.
• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/mo)
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Guinea-Bissau to Eritrea would see a 17% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while Guinea-Bissau mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Eritrea are $1,760 vs $1,367 in Guinea-Bissau.
See this comparison from Guinea-Bissau's perspective: Guinea-Bissau vs Eritrea
Compare Eritrea with...
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Eritrea or Guinea-Bissau?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In Guinea-Bissau, it is CFA19,030/mo ($34.17 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 17% 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 Guinea-Bissau 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 Guinea-Bissau?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to CFA95,000/mo ($170.56 USD) in Guinea-Bissau. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 135% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and Guinea-Bissau 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 Guinea-Bissau.
Which country has better purchasing power for minimum wage workers, Eritrea or Guinea-Bissau?
After adjusting for local prices using purchasing power parity (PPP), minimum wage workers in Eritrea can afford more than those in Guinea-Bissau. The PPP-adjusted rate is $121 in Eritrea and $97 in Guinea-Bissau. PPP converts wages into equivalent US dollar buying power, accounting for what a unit of currency actually buys locally. The 25% purchasing power gap means that even if the nominal wage in Guinea-Bissau appears competitive, minimum wage workers there face greater constraints on day-to-day spending.
How do work hours compare between Eritrea and Guinea-Bissau?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Guinea-Bissau. Workers in Eritrea work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Guinea-Bissau 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.