Key Facts: Italy vs Eritrea Wages
- Italy Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Italy Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- €2,600 /mo ($3,027.83 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Data Sources
- Ministry of Labour and Social Policies (Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali) (2026-02-24), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25)
Italy 
Eritrea
Updated 2026-02-25
Italy has no statutory minimum wage, while Eritrea sets a floor of $40/mo. Average gross salaries diverge further: $3,028/mo in Italy versus $400/mo in Eritrea, a 7.6:1 ratio.
Italy's unemployment rate is 6.4% compared to Eritrea's 6.0%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Italy | Eritrea |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | None | Nfk600 $40 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | €2,600 /mo $3,027.83 | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | €1,850 /mo $2,154.42 | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 |
| Median individual income /yr | €22,500 /yr $26,202.40 | N/A/yr |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Italy is higher.
Work Week
- Italy
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Standard workweek is 40 hours (Legislative Decree 66/2003). Maximum average weekly hours including overtime is 48 hours over a 4-month reference period, per EU Working Time Directive. Overtime compensation is regulated by collective agreements, typically 15-30% surcharge depending on hours and sector.
- Eritrea
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Labour Law sets 44 hours/week for civilian workers (8 hours/day, 5.5 days). However, the national service program operates under military regulations outside normal labour law. No reliable enforcement or monitoring data is available.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: Italy mandates 40 hours while Eritrea mandates 44 hours.
See this comparison from Eritrea's perspective: Eritrea vs Italy
Compare Italy with...
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Italy vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Italy vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Italy vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Italy vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Italy vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Italy vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Italy vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Italy vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Italy vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Italy vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Italy vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Italy vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Italy vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Italy vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Italy vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Italy vs Switzerland 
Italy vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Italy vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Italy vs Sweden 
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Italy vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Italy or Eritrea?
In Italy, the minimum wage is no statutory minimum wage. In Eritrea, it is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD).
How much more does the average worker earn in Italy compared to Eritrea?
The average gross salary in Italy is €2,600/mo ($3,027.83 USD), compared to Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD) in Eritrea. In USD terms, workers in Italy earn approximately 657% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Italy and Eritrea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Italy earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Eritrea.
How do work hours compare between Italy and Eritrea?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Italy. Workers in Italy work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Italy 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.