Key Facts: Eritrea vs Norway Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Norway Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Norway Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- kr55,150 /mo ($5,953.34 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet) (2026-05-28)
Eritrea 
Norway
Updated 2026-05-28
Unlike Norway, which has no statutory minimum wage, Eritrea mandates a wage floor of $40/mo. Average gross salaries diverge further: $400/mo in Eritrea versus $5,953/mo in Norway, a 14.9:1 ratio.
Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to Norway's 4.6%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | Norway |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | None |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | kr55,150 /mo $5,953.34 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | kr38,600 /mo $4,166.80 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | kr570,000 /yr $61,530.49 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Eritrea is higher.
Work Week
- Eritrea
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Labour Law sets 44 hours/week for civilian workers (8 hours/day, 5.5 days). However, the national service program operates under military regulations outside normal labour law. No reliable enforcement or monitoring data is available.
- Norway
-
37.5 hrs/wk standard
Max 40 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.4x pay
The Working Environment Act sets a maximum of 40 hours/week, but most collective agreements specify 37.5 hours. Overtime premium minimum 40% by law. Maximum overtime: 10 hrs/week, 25 hrs over 4 consecutive weeks, 200 hrs/year. Night and Sunday work requires additional premiums by agreement.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while Norway mandates 37.5 hours.
See this comparison from Norway's perspective: Norway vs Eritrea
Compare Eritrea with...
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Eritrea vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Eritrea vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Eritrea vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Eritrea vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Eritrea vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Eritrea vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Eritrea vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Eritrea vs Canada C$ 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 
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Eritrea vs Sweden 
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Eritrea vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Eritrea or Norway?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In Norway, it is no statutory minimum wage.
How much less does the average worker earn in Eritrea compared to Norway?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to kr55,150/mo ($5,953.34 USD) in Norway. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 1388% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and Norway is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Norway 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 Norway?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 37.5 hours in Norway. Workers in Eritrea work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Norway 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.