Key Facts: Eritrea vs Serbia Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Serbia Minimum Wage
- RSD271/hr ($2.52 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Serbia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- RSD110,000 /mo ($1,023.26 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs (2026-02-24)
Eritrea
Serbia
Updated 2026-02-25
The minimum wage in Eritrea is roughly 16 times higher than in Serbia in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $400/mo in Eritrea versus $1,023/mo in Serbia, a 2.6:1 ratio.
Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to Serbia's 7.1%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | Serbia |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | RSD271 $2.52 |
| Minimum wage /day | — | RSD2,168 $20.17 |
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | RSD47,000 $437.21 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | RSD564,000 $5,246.51 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | RSD110,000 /mo $1,023.26 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | RSD80,000 /mo $744.19 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | RSD600,000 /yr $5,581.40 |
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.
- Serbia
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 40 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.26x pay
Labour Law sets full-time working hours at 40/week. Overtime: minimum 26% surcharge. Night work (22:00-06:00): minimum 26% surcharge. Holiday work: minimum 110% surcharge. Maximum overtime is 8 hours/week. Reduced working hours (36 or fewer) for hazardous occupations.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Serbia to Eritrea would see a 1487% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while Serbia mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Eritrea are $1,760 vs $101 in Serbia.
See this comparison from Serbia's perspective: Serbia vs Eritrea
Compare Eritrea with...
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Eritrea or Serbia?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In Serbia, it is RSD271/hr ($2.52 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 1487% 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 Serbia 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 Serbia?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to RSD110,000/mo ($1,023.26 USD) in Serbia. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 156% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and Serbia is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Serbia 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 Serbia?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Serbia. Workers in Eritrea work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Serbia 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.