New Zealand North Korea

Updated 2026-03-02

New Zealand

Minimum Wage

NZ$23.50 /hr

$13.99 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

NZ$5,666.67 /mo

North Korea

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

₩100,000 /mo

Avg. salary: +2937% New Zealand vs North Korea

Unlike North Korea, which has no statutory minimum wage, New Zealand mandates a wage floor of $14/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $3,374/mo in New Zealand versus $111/mo in North Korea, a 30.4:1 ratio.

New Zealand's unemployment rate is 5.1% compared to North Korea's 3.5%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between New Zealand and North Korea
Metric	New Zealand	North Korea	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	NZ$23.50 $13.99	None	—
Minimum wage /mo	NZ$4,073.83 $2,425.77	None	—
Minimum wage /yr	NZ$48,880 $29,105.63	None	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	NZ$5,666.67 /mo $3,374.22	₩100,000 /mo $111.11	+2936.8%
Avg. net salary /mo	NZ$4,533.33 /mo $2,699.37	₩90,000 /mo $100	+2599.4%
Median individual income /yr	NZ$61,828 /yr $36,815.53	N/A/yr	—

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

Work Week

New Zealand: 40 hrs/wk standard

Overtime : 1.5x pay

No statutory maximum working hours, but employers must ensure reasonable working hours. Most employment agreements specify 40 hours/week. Overtime rates not mandated by statute but commonly 1.5x by agreement. Time-and-a-half and a day in lieu required for work on public holidays.
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: New Zealand mandates 40 hours while North Korea mandates 48 hours.

See this comparison from North Korea's perspective: North Korea vs New Zealand

Compare New Zealand with...

New Zealand vs United States $ 7.25 /hr

New Zealand vs China ¥ 25 /hr

New Zealand vs Germany € 13.9 /hr

New Zealand vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr

New Zealand vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo

New Zealand vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr

New Zealand vs France € 12.02 /hr

New Zealand vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr

New Zealand vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr

New Zealand vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr

New Zealand vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr

New Zealand vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr

New Zealand vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo

New Zealand vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr

New Zealand vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr

New Zealand vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr

New Zealand vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr

New Zealand vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr

New Zealand vs Switzerland

New Zealand vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr

New Zealand vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo

New Zealand vs Sweden

New Zealand vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr

New Zealand vs Singapore

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in New Zealand or North Korea?

In New Zealand, the minimum wage is NZ$23.50/hr ($13.99 USD). In North Korea, it is no statutory minimum wage.

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

The average gross salary in New Zealand is NZ$5,666.67/mo ($3,374.22 USD), compared to ₩100,000/mo ($111.11 USD) in North Korea. In USD terms, workers in New Zealand earn approximately 2937% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between New Zealand and North Korea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in New Zealand earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in North Korea.

How do work hours compare between New Zealand and North Korea?

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