Iraq South Sudan

Updated 2026-02-25

Iraq

Minimum Wage

ع.د1,823 /hr

$1.40 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

ع.د700,000 /mo

South Sudan

Minimum Wage

£7,000 /mo

$1.52 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

£125,000 /mo

Min wage: -8% Iraq vs South Sudan Avg. salary: +1870% Iraq vs South Sudan

Iraq, a upper-middle-income economy, and South Sudan, classified as low-income, take different approaches to wage policy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $536/mo in Iraq versus $27/mo in South Sudan, a 19.7:1 ratio. South Sudan has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 12.4% compared to 15.5%.

Iraq's unemployment rate is 15.5% compared to South Sudan's 12.4%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Iraq and South Sudan
Metric	Iraq	South Sudan	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	£7,000 $1.52	+17490.0%
Minimum wage /yr	ع.د4,200,000 $3,218.39	—	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	ع.د700,000 /mo $536.40	£125,000 /mo $27.23	+1870.1%
Avg. net salary /mo	N/A/mo	£112,000 /mo $24.40	—
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.
South Sudan: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Act 2017 sets 40 hours/week as standard. Enforcement is effectively non-existent across most of the country due to ongoing conflict, institutional collapse, and absence of functioning labour inspectorates.

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Iraq earns 9% less per hour in USD terms than one in South Sudan. Standard work weeks differ: Iraq mandates 48 hours while South Sudan mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Iraq are $67 vs $61 in South Sudan.

See this comparison from South Sudan's perspective: South Sudan vs Iraq

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Iraq or South Sudan?

In Iraq, the minimum wage is ع.د1,823/hr ($1.40 USD). In South Sudan, it is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). South Sudan has the higher rate by 9% 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 South Sudan?

The average gross salary in Iraq is ع.د700,000/mo ($536.40 USD), compared to £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD) in South Sudan. In USD terms, workers in Iraq earn approximately 1870% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Iraq and South Sudan 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 South Sudan.

How do work hours compare between Iraq and South Sudan?

Iraq has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in South Sudan. Workers in Iraq work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in South Sudan 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.