Key Facts: Eritrea vs Italy Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Italy Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Italy Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- €2,600 /mo ($3,027.83 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), Ministry of Labour and Social Policies (Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali) (2026-02-24)
Eritrea 
Italy
Updated 2026-02-25
Unlike Italy, which has no statutory minimum wage, Eritrea mandates a wage floor of $40/mo. Average gross salaries diverge further: $400/mo in Eritrea versus $3,028/mo in Italy, a 7.6:1 ratio.
Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to Italy's 6.4%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | Italy |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | None |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | €2,600 /mo $3,027.83 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | €1,850 /mo $2,154.42 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | €22,500 /yr $26,202.40 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Eritrea is higher.
Work Week
- Eritrea
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Labour Law sets 44 hours/week for civilian workers (8 hours/day, 5.5 days). However, the national service program operates under military regulations outside normal labour law. No reliable enforcement or monitoring data is available.
- Italy
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Standard workweek is 40 hours (Legislative Decree 66/2003). Maximum average weekly hours including overtime is 48 hours over a 4-month reference period, per EU Working Time Directive. Overtime compensation is regulated by collective agreements, typically 15-30% surcharge depending on hours and sector.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while Italy mandates 40 hours.
See this comparison from Italy's perspective: Italy vs Eritrea
Compare Eritrea with...
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Eritrea vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Eritrea vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Eritrea vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Eritrea vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Eritrea vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Eritrea vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
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Eritrea vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
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Eritrea vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Eritrea vs Switzerland 
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Eritrea vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Eritrea or Italy?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In Italy, it is no statutory minimum wage.
How much less does the average worker earn in Eritrea compared to Italy?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to €2,600/mo ($3,027.83 USD) in Italy. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 657% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and Italy is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Italy 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 Italy?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Italy. Workers in Eritrea work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Italy 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.