Key Facts: Norway vs Eritrea Wages
- Norway Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Norway Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- kr55,150 /mo ($5,953.34 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Data Sources
- Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet) (2026-05-28), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25)
Norway 
Eritrea
Updated 2026-05-28
Norway has no statutory minimum wage, while Eritrea sets a floor of $40/mo. Average gross salaries diverge further: $5,953/mo in Norway versus $400/mo in Eritrea, a 14.9:1 ratio.
Norway's unemployment rate is 4.6% compared to Eritrea's 6.0%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Norway | Eritrea |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | None | Nfk600 $40 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | kr55,150 /mo $5,953.34 | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | kr38,600 /mo $4,166.80 | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 |
| Median individual income /yr | kr570,000 /yr $61,530.49 | N/A/yr |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Norway is higher.
Work Week
- Norway
-
37.5 hrs/wk standard
Max 40 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.4x pay
The Working Environment Act sets a maximum of 40 hours/week, but most collective agreements specify 37.5 hours. Overtime premium minimum 40% by law. Maximum overtime: 10 hrs/week, 25 hrs over 4 consecutive weeks, 200 hrs/year. Night and Sunday work requires additional premiums by agreement.
- Eritrea
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Labour Law sets 44 hours/week for civilian workers (8 hours/day, 5.5 days). However, the national service program operates under military regulations outside normal labour law. No reliable enforcement or monitoring data is available.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: Norway mandates 37.5 hours while Eritrea mandates 44 hours.
See this comparison from Eritrea's perspective: Eritrea vs Norway
Compare Norway with...
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Norway vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Norway vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Norway vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Norway vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Norway vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Norway vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Norway vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Norway vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Norway vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Norway vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Norway vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Norway vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Norway vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Norway vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Norway vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Norway vs Switzerland 
Norway vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
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Norway vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Norway or Eritrea?
In Norway, 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 Norway compared to Eritrea?
The average gross salary in Norway is kr55,150/mo ($5,953.34 USD), compared to Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD) in Eritrea. In USD terms, workers in Norway earn approximately 1388% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Norway and Eritrea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Norway earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Eritrea.
How do work hours compare between Norway and Eritrea?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 37.5 hours in Norway. Workers in Norway work 37.5 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Norway 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.