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Key Facts: Kosovo vs Somalia Wages

Kosovo Minimum Wage
€1.57/hr ($1.83 USD)
Somalia Minimum Wage
No statutory minimum wage
Kosovo Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
€650 /mo ($756.96 USD)
Somalia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
Sh150,000 /mo ($262.70 USD)
Data Sources
Kosovo Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers / Kosovo Labour Law No. 03/L-212 (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / UN OCHA Somalia (2026-02-25)

Kosovo flag Kosovo Somalia flag Somalia

Updated 2026-02-25

Kosovo flag Kosovo

Minimum Wage

€1.57 /hr

$1.83 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€650 /mo

Somalia flag Somalia

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

Sh150,000 /mo

Avg. salary: +188% Kosovo vs Somalia

Unlike Somalia, which has no statutory minimum wage, Kosovo mandates a wage floor of $2/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $757/mo in Kosovo versus $263/mo in Somalia, a 2.9:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Kosovo is 11.2x that of Somalia, underscoring the structural economic divide.

Kosovo has higher GDP per capita ($17,864 vs $1,602).

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Kosovo and Somalia
Metric Kosovo Somalia
Minimum wage /hr €1.57 $1.83 None
Minimum wage /mo €264 $307.44 None
Minimum wage /yr €3,168 $3,689.30 None
Avg. gross salary /mo €650 /mo $756.96 Sh150,000 /mo $262.70
Avg. net salary /mo €580 /mo $675.44 Sh140,000 /mo $245.18
Median individual income /yr €3,600 /yr $4,192.38 N/A/yr

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

Work Week

Kosovo

40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.3x pay

Labour Law No. 03/L-212 sets the standard working week at 40 hours (8 hrs/day, 5 days). Maximum including overtime is 48 hours/week (overtime limit: 8 hrs/week, 40 hrs/month, 240 hrs/year). Overtime is compensated at 130% of regular pay. Night work (22:00–06:00) carries a 26% premium. Weekend work is compensated at 150%. Workers are entitled to 18 days of paid annual leave (minimum); employees with disabilities and younger workers get more.

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: Kosovo mandates 40 hours while Somalia mandates 48 hours.

See this comparison from Somalia's perspective: Somalia vs Kosovo

Compare Kosovo with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Kosovo or Somalia?

In Kosovo, the minimum wage is €1.57/hr ($1.83 USD). In Somalia, it is no statutory minimum wage.

How much more does the average worker earn in Kosovo compared to Somalia?

The average gross salary in Kosovo is €650/mo ($756.96 USD), compared to Sh150,000/mo ($262.70 USD) in Somalia. In USD terms, workers in Kosovo earn approximately 188% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Kosovo and Somalia is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Kosovo earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Somalia.

How do work hours compare between Kosovo and Somalia?

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

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Kosovo has the higher GDP per capita at $17,864, which is 11.2x that of Somalia at $1,602. From Kosovo'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.