Key Facts: Portugal vs Eritrea Wages
- Portugal Minimum Wage
- €5.31/hr ($6.18 USD)
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Portugal Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- €1,550 /mo ($1,805.05 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Data Sources
- Government of Portugal (Governo de Portugal); 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)
Portugal 
Eritrea
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Portugal is roughly 6 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: $1,805/mo in Portugal versus $400/mo in Eritrea, a 4.5:1 ratio.
Portugal's unemployment rate is 6.2% compared to Eritrea's 6.0%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Portugal | Eritrea |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | €5.31 $6.18 | — |
| Minimum wage /mo | €920 $1,071.39 | Nfk600 $40 |
| Minimum wage /yr | €12,880 $14,999.42 | — |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | €1,550 /mo $1,805.05 | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | €1,150 /mo $1,339.23 | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 |
| Median individual income /yr | €14,000 /yr $16,303.71 | N/A/yr |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Portugal is higher.
Work Week
- Portugal
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.25x pay
Standard workweek is 40 hours (Labour Code). The first hour of overtime on a working day is paid at 125%, subsequent hours at 137.5%. Overtime on rest days and public holidays is paid at 150%. Maximum 150 hours of overtime per year (can be increased to 200 by collective agreement). EU Working Time Directive limits average to 48 hrs/week.
- 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 Portugal earns 547% less per hour in USD terms than one in Eritrea. Standard work weeks differ: Portugal mandates 40 hours while Eritrea mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Portugal are $247 vs $1,760 in Eritrea.
See this comparison from Eritrea's perspective: Eritrea vs Portugal
Compare Portugal with...
Portugal vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Portugal vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Portugal vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Portugal vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Portugal vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Portugal vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Portugal vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Portugal vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Portugal vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Portugal vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Portugal vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Portugal vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Portugal vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Portugal vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Portugal vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Portugal vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Portugal vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Portugal vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Portugal vs Switzerland 
Portugal vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Portugal vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Portugal vs Sweden 
Portugal vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Portugal vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Portugal or Eritrea?
In Portugal, the minimum wage is €5.31/hr ($6.18 USD). In Eritrea, it is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 547% 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 Portugal may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much more does the average worker earn in Portugal compared to Eritrea?
The average gross salary in Portugal is €1,550/mo ($1,805.05 USD), compared to Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD) in Eritrea. In USD terms, workers in Portugal earn approximately 351% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Portugal and Eritrea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Portugal earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Eritrea.
How do work hours compare between Portugal and Eritrea?
Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Portugal. Workers in Portugal work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Portugal 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.