Iraq Eritrea

Updated 2026-02-25

Iraq

Minimum Wage

ع.د1,823 /hr

$1.40 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

ع.د700,000 /mo

Eritrea

Minimum Wage

Nfk600 /mo

$40 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

Nfk6,000 /mo

Min wage: -97% Iraq vs Eritrea Avg. salary: +34% Iraq vs Eritrea

The minimum wage in Iraq is roughly 29 times lower than in Eritrea in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a low-income economy. Average salaries are higher in Iraq at $536/mo compared to $400/mo in Eritrea. Eritrea has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 6.0% compared to 15.5%.

Iraq's unemployment rate is 15.5% compared to Eritrea's 6.0%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Iraq and Eritrea
Metric	Iraq	Eritrea	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	ع.د1,823 $1.40	—	—
Minimum wage /day	ع.د14,583 $11.17	—	—
Minimum wage /mo	ع.د350,000 $268.20	Nfk600 $40	+570.5%
Minimum wage /yr	ع.د4,200,000 $3,218.39	—	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	ع.د700,000 /mo $536.40	Nfk6,000 /mo $400	+34.1%
Avg. net salary /mo	N/A/mo	Nfk5,400 /mo $360	—
Median individual income /yr	ع.د3,360,000 /yr $2,574.71	N/A/yr	—

Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Iraq is higher.

Work Week

Iraq: 48 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 sets maximum ordinary working hours at 8 per day / 48 per week. Friday is the weekly rest day. Overtime is compensated at 150% of normal hourly rate. Work on official holidays is paid at 200%. Ramadan working hours are reduced. Public sector employees typically work ~40 hours/week in practice.
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.

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Iraq earns 2763% less per hour in USD terms than one in Eritrea. Standard work weeks differ: Iraq mandates 48 hours while Eritrea mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Iraq are $67 vs $1,760 in Eritrea.

See this comparison from Eritrea's perspective: Eritrea vs Iraq

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Iraq or Eritrea?

In Iraq, the minimum wage is ع.د1,823/hr ($1.40 USD). In Eritrea, it is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 2763% 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 Iraq may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

How much more does the average worker earn in Iraq compared to Eritrea?

The average gross salary in Iraq is ع.د700,000/mo ($536.40 USD), compared to Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD) in Eritrea. In USD terms, workers in Iraq earn approximately 34% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Iraq and Eritrea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Iraq earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Eritrea.

How do work hours compare between Iraq and Eritrea?

Iraq has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in Eritrea. Workers in Iraq work 48 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.