Key Facts: Eritrea vs South Korea Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- South Korea Minimum Wage
- ₩10,320/hr ($6.84 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- South Korea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- ₩3,960,000 /mo ($2,624.88 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), Minimum Wage Commission (최저임금위원회) (2026-05-15)
Eritrea 
South Korea
Updated 2026-05-15
The minimum wage in Eritrea is roughly 6 times higher than in South Korea 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 $2,625/mo in South Korea, a 6.6:1 ratio. South Korea has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 2.7% compared to 6.0%.
Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to South Korea's 2.7%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | ₩10,320 $6.84 |
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | ₩2,156,880 $1,429.69 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | ₩25,882,560 $17,156.22 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | ₩3,960,000 /mo $2,624.88 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | ₩3,170,000 /mo $2,101.23 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | ₩33,360,000 /yr $22,112.63 |
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.
- South Korea
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 52 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Labour Standards Act sets 40 hrs/week base with maximum 12 hrs overtime (52 total). Overtime, night work (10pm-6am), and holiday work each receive a 50% premium. Businesses with 5-49 employees had a phased implementation completed in 2021. Government proposed a flexible 69-hour weekly cap in 2023 but withdrew after public backlash.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from South Korea to Eritrea would see a 485% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while South Korea mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Eritrea are $1,760 vs $274 in South Korea.
See this comparison from South Korea's perspective: South Korea vs Eritrea
Compare Eritrea with...
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Eritrea vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
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Eritrea vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
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Eritrea vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Eritrea vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
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Eritrea vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Eritrea vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Eritrea vs Switzerland 
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Is the minimum wage higher in Eritrea or South Korea?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In South Korea, it is ₩10,320/hr ($6.84 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 485% 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 South Korea 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 South Korea?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to ₩3,960,000/mo ($2,624.88 USD) in South Korea. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 556% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and South Korea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in South Korea 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 South Korea?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in South Korea. Workers in Eritrea work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in South Korea 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.