Key Facts: Eritrea vs Turkmenistan Wages
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Turkmenistan Minimum Wage
- T1,160/mo ($331.43 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Turkmenistan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- T2,500 /mo ($714.29 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Turkmenistan government sources (2026-05-04)
Eritrea
Turkmenistan
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Eritrea is roughly 8 times lower than in Turkmenistan 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 $714/mo in Turkmenistan.
From Eritrea's perspective: adjusting for purchasing power, Eritrea's minimum wage buys less than Turkmenistan's. The PPP-adjusted hourly rate in Eritrea is $121 international dollars, compared to $768 in Turkmenistan. Eritrea's unemployment rate is 6.0% compared to Turkmenistan's 4.3%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Eritrea | Turkmenistan |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | Nfk600 $40 | T1,160 $331.43 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 | T2,500 /mo $714.29 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 | N/A/mo |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | T30,000 /yr $8,571.43 |
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.
- Turkmenistan
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Labour Code sets 40 hours/week (8 hours/day, 5 days). Saturday and Sunday are rest days. State-sector employees work standard government hours. The gas industry may have different shift arrangements.
• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/mo)
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker in Eritrea earns 729% less per hour in USD terms than one in Turkmenistan. Standard work weeks differ: Eritrea mandates 44 hours while Turkmenistan mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Eritrea are $1,760 vs $13,257 in Turkmenistan.
See this comparison from Turkmenistan's perspective: Turkmenistan vs Eritrea
Compare Eritrea with...
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Eritrea or Turkmenistan?
In Eritrea, the minimum wage is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). In Turkmenistan, it is T1,160/mo ($331.43 USD). Turkmenistan has the higher rate by 729% 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 Eritrea 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 Turkmenistan?
The average gross salary in Eritrea is Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD), compared to T2,500/mo ($714.29 USD) in Turkmenistan. In USD terms, workers in Eritrea earn approximately 79% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Eritrea and Turkmenistan is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Turkmenistan earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Eritrea.
Which country has better purchasing power for minimum wage workers, Eritrea or Turkmenistan?
After adjusting for local prices using purchasing power parity (PPP), minimum wage workers in Turkmenistan can afford more than those in Eritrea. The PPP-adjusted rate is $121 in Eritrea and $768 in Turkmenistan. PPP converts wages into equivalent US dollar buying power, accounting for what a unit of currency actually buys locally. The 532% purchasing power gap means that even if the nominal wage in Eritrea appears competitive, minimum wage workers there face greater constraints on day-to-day spending.
How do work hours compare between Eritrea and Turkmenistan?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Turkmenistan. Workers in Eritrea work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Turkmenistan 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.