Luxembourg North Korea

Updated 2026-05-04

Luxembourg

Minimum Wage

€15.63 /hr

$18.20 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€5,600 /mo

North Korea

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

₩100,000 /mo

Avg. salary: +5769% Luxembourg vs North Korea

Unlike North Korea, which has no statutory minimum wage, Luxembourg mandates a wage floor of $18/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $6,521/mo in Luxembourg versus $111/mo in North Korea, a 58.7:1 ratio. North Korea has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 3.5% compared to 6.3%.

Luxembourg's unemployment rate is 6.3% compared to North Korea's 3.5%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Luxembourg and North Korea
Metric	Luxembourg	North Korea	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	€15.63 $18.20	None	—
Minimum wage /mo	€2,703.74 $3,148.64	None	—
Minimum wage /yr	€32,444.88 $37,783.72	None	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	€5,600 /mo $6,521.49	₩100,000 /mo $111.11	+5769.3%
Avg. net salary /mo	€4,000 /mo $4,658.20	₩90,000 /mo $100	+4558.2%
Median individual income /yr	€48,000 /yr $55,898.45	N/A/yr	—

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

Work Week

Luxembourg: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.4x pay

Standard workweek is 40 hours (Labour Code). Daily maximum is 8 hours (extendable to 10 hours). Overtime is compensated at 140% of normal rate or with equivalent compensatory time off (1.5 hours for each overtime hour). Maximum 2 hours overtime per day. EU Working Time Directive limits average to 48 hrs/week.
North Korea: 48 hrs/wk standard

The North Korean Labour Law formally sets an 8-hour working day. In practice, many workers are required to spend additional hours in compulsory political study, military training, and 'volunteer' labour campaigns. The actual workweek for state employees varies widely by sector and location. No independent verification of labour conditions is possible.

What This Means for Workers

Standard work weeks differ: Luxembourg mandates 40 hours while North Korea mandates 48 hours.

See this comparison from North Korea's perspective: North Korea vs Luxembourg

Compare Luxembourg with...

Luxembourg vs United States $ 7.25 /hr

Luxembourg vs China ¥ 25 /hr

Luxembourg vs Germany € 13.9 /hr

Luxembourg vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr

Luxembourg vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo

Luxembourg vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr

Luxembourg vs France € 12.02 /hr

Luxembourg vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr

Luxembourg vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr

Luxembourg vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr

Luxembourg vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr

Luxembourg vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr

Luxembourg vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo

Luxembourg vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr

Luxembourg vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr

Luxembourg vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr

Luxembourg vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr

Luxembourg vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr

Luxembourg vs Switzerland

Luxembourg vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr

Luxembourg vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo

Luxembourg vs Sweden

Luxembourg vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr

Luxembourg vs Singapore

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Luxembourg or North Korea?

In Luxembourg, the minimum wage is €15.63/hr ($18.20 USD). In North Korea, it is no statutory minimum wage.

How much more does the average worker earn in Luxembourg compared to North Korea?

The average gross salary in Luxembourg is €5,600/mo ($6,521.49 USD), compared to ₩100,000/mo ($111.11 USD) in North Korea. In USD terms, workers in Luxembourg earn approximately 5769% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Luxembourg and North Korea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Luxembourg earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in North Korea.

How do work hours compare between Luxembourg and North Korea?

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