Key Facts: Eritrea vs Saudi Arabia Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Saudi Arabia Minimum Wage
- ﷼23.08/hr ($6.15 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Saudi Arabia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- ﷼10,500 /mo ($2,800 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development; minimum wage for Saudi nationals at SAR 4,000/mo unchanged since March 2021 Nitaqat reforms (2026-05-04)
Eritrea 
Saudi Arabia
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Eritrea is roughly 6 times higher than in Saudi Arabia in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a high-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $400/mo in Eritrea versus $2,800/mo in Saudi Arabia, a 7.0:1 ratio. Saudi Arabia has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 3.0% compared to 6.0%.
Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to Saudi Arabia's 3.0%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | ﷼23.08 $6.15 |
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | ﷼4,000 $1,066.67 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | ﷼48,000 $12,800 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | ﷼10,500 /mo $2,800 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | ﷼10,500 /mo $2,800 |
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.
- Saudi Arabia
-
48 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Saudi Labour Law sets 8 hrs/day, 48 hrs/week (6-day week). During Ramadan, reduced to 6 hrs/day, 36 hrs/week for Muslim employees. Overtime capped at 2 hrs/day. Overtime paid at base hourly rate + 50%. Friday is the standard weekly rest day. Government sector works 35 hrs/week (Sun-Thu).
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Saudi Arabia to Eritrea would see a 550% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while Saudi Arabia mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Eritrea are $1,760 vs $295 in Saudi Arabia.
See this comparison from Saudi Arabia's perspective: Saudi Arabia vs Eritrea
Compare Eritrea with...
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Eritrea vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Eritrea vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Eritrea vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Eritrea vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Eritrea vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Eritrea vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Eritrea vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Eritrea vs Canada C$ 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 Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Eritrea vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Eritrea vs Switzerland 
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Eritrea vs Norway Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Eritrea or Saudi Arabia?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In Saudi Arabia, it is ﷼23.08/hr ($6.15 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 550% 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 Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to ﷼10,500/mo ($2,800 USD) in Saudi Arabia. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 600% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and Saudi Arabia is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in Eritrea. Workers in Eritrea work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Eritrea 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.