Key Facts: Eritrea vs Turkey Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Turkey Minimum Wage
- ₺164.94/hr ($3.59 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Turkey Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- ₺25,482 /mo ($555.24 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanlığı); 2026 figure announced by Minister Vedat Işıkhan, verified via Daily Sabah (dailysabah.com) (2026-05-04)
Eritrea 
Turkey
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Eritrea is roughly 11 times higher than in Turkey in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average salaries are lower in Eritrea at $400/mo compared to $555/mo in Turkey. Eritrea has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 6.0% compared to 8.5%.
Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to Turkey's 8.5%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | ₺164.94 $3.59 |
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | ₺33,030 $719.70 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | ₺396,360 $8,636.42 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | ₺25,482 /mo $555.24 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | ₺20,021 /mo $436.24 |
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.
- Turkey
-
45 hrs/wk standard
Max 45 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Standard workweek is 45 hours under the Labour Act (No. 4857). Can be distributed unevenly across days of the week, but no more than 11 hours/day. Overtime is limited to 270 hours/year. Overtime premium is 50%; weekend/holiday work is at 100% premium if the worker does not get a substitute rest day.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Turkey to Eritrea would see a 1013% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while Turkey mandates 45 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Eritrea are $1,760 vs $162 in Turkey.
See this comparison from Turkey's perspective: Turkey vs Eritrea
Compare Eritrea with...
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Eritrea vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Eritrea vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Eritrea vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Eritrea vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Eritrea vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Eritrea vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Eritrea vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Eritrea vs Canada C$ 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 Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Eritrea vs Switzerland 
Eritrea vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Eritrea vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Eritrea vs Sweden 
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Eritrea vs Singapore 
Eritrea vs Norway Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Eritrea or Turkey?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In Turkey, it is ₺164.94/hr ($3.59 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 1013% 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 Turkey 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 Turkey?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to ₺25,482/mo ($555.24 USD) in Turkey. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 39% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and Turkey is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Turkey 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 Turkey?
Turkey has a longer standard work week at 45 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.