Key Facts: Eritrea vs New Zealand Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- New Zealand Minimum Wage
- NZ$23.50/hr ($13.99 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- New Zealand Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- NZ$5,666.67 /mo ($3,374.22 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), Employment New Zealand / Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (2026-03-02)
Eritrea 
New Zealand
Updated 2026-03-02
The minimum wage in Eritrea is 186% higher than in New Zealand when converted to USD. Average gross salaries diverge further: $400/mo in Eritrea versus $3,374/mo in New Zealand, a 8.4:1 ratio.
Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to New Zealand's 5.1%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | NZ$23.50 $13.99 |
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | NZ$4,073.83 $2,425.77 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | NZ$48,880 $29,105.63 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | NZ$5,666.67 /mo $3,374.22 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | NZ$4,533.33 /mo $2,699.37 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | NZ$61,828 /yr $36,815.53 |
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.
- New Zealand
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Overtime : 1.5x pay
No statutory maximum working hours, but employers must ensure reasonable working hours. Most employment agreements specify 40 hours/week. Overtime rates not mandated by statute but commonly 1.5x by agreement. Time-and-a-half and a day in lieu required for work on public holidays.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from New Zealand to Eritrea would see a 186% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while New Zealand mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Eritrea are $1,760 vs $560 in New Zealand.
See this comparison from New Zealand's perspective: New Zealand 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 New Zealand?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In New Zealand, it is NZ$23.50/hr ($13.99 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 186% 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 New Zealand may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much less does the average worker earn in Eritrea compared to New Zealand?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to NZ$5,666.67/mo ($3,374.22 USD) in New Zealand. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 744% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and New Zealand is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in New Zealand 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 New Zealand?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in New Zealand. Workers in Eritrea work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in New Zealand 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.