Key Facts: Faroe Islands vs Norway Wages
- Faroe Islands Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- Norway Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- Faroe Islands Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- kr34,278 /mo ($5,341.42 USD)
- Norway Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- kr55,150 /mo ($5,953.34 USD)
- Data Sources
- Statistics Faroe Islands (hagstova.fo) (2026-05-04), Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet) (2026-05-28)
Faroe Islands
Norway
Updated 2026-05-28
Neither Faroe Islands nor Norway has a statutory minimum wage, relying instead on collective bargaining or sectoral agreements. Average salaries are lower in Faroe Islands at $5,341/mo compared to $5,953/mo in Norway.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Faroe Islands | Norway |
|---|---|---|
| Avg. gross salary /mo | kr34,278 /mo $5,341.42 | kr55,150 /mo $5,953.34 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | N/A/mo | kr38,600 /mo $4,166.80 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | kr570,000 /yr $61,530.49 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Faroe Islands is higher.
Work Week
- Faroe Islands
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Standard workweek is 40 hours. Working conditions governed by collective agreements.
- Norway
-
37.5 hrs/wk standard
Max 40 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.4x pay
The Working Environment Act sets a maximum of 40 hours/week, but most collective agreements specify 37.5 hours. Overtime premium minimum 40% by law. Maximum overtime: 10 hrs/week, 25 hrs over 4 consecutive weeks, 200 hrs/year. Night and Sunday work requires additional premiums by agreement.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: Faroe Islands mandates 40 hours while Norway mandates 37.5 hours.
See this comparison from Norway's perspective: Norway vs Faroe Islands
Compare Faroe Islands with...
Frequently Asked Questions
How much less does the average worker earn in Faroe Islands compared to Norway?
The average gross salary in Faroe Islands is kr34,278/mo ($5,341.42 USD), compared to kr55,150/mo ($5,953.34 USD) in Norway. In USD terms, workers in Faroe Islands earn approximately 11% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Faroe Islands and Norway is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Norway earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Faroe Islands.
How do work hours compare between Faroe Islands and Norway?
Faroe Islands has a longer standard work week at 40 hours, compared to 37.5 hours in Norway. Workers in Faroe Islands work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Norway 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.