Key Facts: Latvia vs Eritrea Wages
- Latvia Minimum Wage
- €4.50/hr ($5.24 USD)
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Latvia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- €1,600 /mo ($1,863.28 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Data Sources
- State Revenue Service (Valsts ieņēmumu dienests); 2026 figure verified via Wikipedia EU member states by minimum wage table (eff 2026-01-01) (2026-05-04), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25)
Latvia 
Eritrea
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Latvia is roughly 8 times lower than in Eritrea in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a high-income and a low-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $1,863/mo in Latvia versus $400/mo in Eritrea, a 4.7:1 ratio.
Latvia's unemployment rate is 6.6% compared to Eritrea's 6.0%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Latvia | Eritrea |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | €4.50 $5.24 | — |
| Minimum wage /mo | €780 $908.35 | Nfk600 $40 |
| Minimum wage /yr | €9,360 $10,900.20 | — |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | €1,600 /mo $1,863.28 | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | €1,180 /mo $1,374.17 | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 |
| Median individual income /yr | €10,200 /yr $11,878.42 | N/A/yr |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Latvia is higher.
Work Week
- Latvia
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 2x pay
Standard workweek is 40 hours. Overtime is limited and must be compensated at 100% premium (double rate). Night work premium at least 50%. Overtime not to exceed 144 hours in a 4-month period.
- 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 Latvia earns 663% less per hour in USD terms than one in Eritrea. Standard work weeks differ: Latvia mandates 40 hours while Eritrea mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Latvia are $210 vs $1,760 in Eritrea.
See this comparison from Eritrea's perspective: Eritrea vs Latvia
Compare Latvia with...
Latvia vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Latvia vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Latvia vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Latvia vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Latvia vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Latvia vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Latvia vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Latvia vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Latvia vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Latvia vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Latvia vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Latvia vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Latvia vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Latvia vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Latvia vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Latvia vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Latvia vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Latvia vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Latvia vs Switzerland 
Latvia vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Latvia vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Latvia vs Sweden 
Latvia vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Latvia vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Latvia or Eritrea?
In Latvia, the minimum wage is €4.50/hr ($5.24 USD). In Eritrea, it is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 663% 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 Latvia may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much more does the average worker earn in Latvia compared to Eritrea?
The average gross salary in Latvia is €1,600/mo ($1,863.28 USD), compared to Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD) in Eritrea. In USD terms, workers in Latvia earn approximately 366% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Latvia and Eritrea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Latvia earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Eritrea.
How do work hours compare between Latvia and Eritrea?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Latvia. Workers in Latvia work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Latvia 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.