Key Facts: Greece vs Somalia Wages
- Greece Minimum Wage
- €5.31/hr ($6.04 USD)
- Somalia Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- Greece Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- €1,400 /mo ($1,593.63 USD)
- Somalia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Sh150,000 /mo ($262.70 USD)
- Data Sources
- Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Υπουργείο Εργασίας και Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης); 2026 figure verified via Wikipedia EU member states by minimum wage table (eff 2026-04-01) (2026-05-04), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / UN OCHA Somalia (2026-02-25)
Greece
Somalia
Updated 2026-05-04
Unlike Somalia, which has no statutory minimum wage, Greece mandates a wage floor of $6/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $1,594/mo in Greece versus $263/mo in Somalia, a 6.1:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Greece is 27.7x that of Somalia, underscoring the structural economic divide.
Greece has higher GDP per capita ($44,327 vs $1,602). Greece's unemployment rate is 8.5% compared to Somalia's 18.9%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Greece | Somalia |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | €5.31 $6.04 | None |
| Minimum wage /mo | €920 $1,047.24 | None |
| Minimum wage /yr | €12,880 $14,661.35 | None |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | €1,400 /mo $1,593.63 | Sh150,000 /mo $262.70 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | €1,100 /mo $1,252.13 | Sh140,000 /mo $245.18 |
| Median individual income /yr | €12,800 /yr $14,570.29 | N/A/yr |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Greece is higher.
Work Week
- Greece
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.2x pay
Standard workweek is 40 hours across 5 days (Labour Law). Overtime beyond 40 hours is compensated at 120% for the first 5 hours per week and 140% thereafter. In 2024, Greece introduced optional 6-day workweek legislation for certain industries, with the 6th day paid at 140%. EU Working Time Directive limits average to 48 hrs/week.
- Somalia
-
48 hrs/wk standard
No reliable standardised workweek provisions are enforced. Friday is the weekly rest day. Labour conditions vary widely between sectors — from formal NGO employment with international standards to highly exploitative informal arrangements. Somaliland and Puntland have some locally administered labour rules.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: Greece mandates 40 hours while Somalia mandates 48 hours.
See this comparison from Somalia's perspective: Somalia vs Greece
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Greece or Somalia?
In Greece, the minimum wage is €5.31/hr ($6.04 USD). In Somalia, it is no statutory minimum wage.
How much more does the average worker earn in Greece compared to Somalia?
The average gross salary in Greece is €1,400/mo ($1,593.63 USD), compared to Sh150,000/mo ($262.70 USD) in Somalia. In USD terms, workers in Greece earn approximately 507% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Greece and Somalia is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Greece earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Somalia.
How do work hours compare between Greece and Somalia?
Somalia has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in Greece. Workers in Greece work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Greece 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.
What is the cost of living difference between Greece and Somalia?
While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Greece has the higher GDP per capita at $44,327, which is 27.7x that of Somalia at $1,602. From Greece's perspective, this means goods and services are priced at a higher economic level. A higher GDP per capita generally correlates with higher wages, higher consumer prices, and greater availability of goods and services. Workers moving between these two countries should expect significant differences in rent, food, and transportation costs.