Russia North Korea

Updated 2026-05-27

Russia

Minimum Wage

₽156.31 /hr

$1.61 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

₽100,316 /mo

North Korea

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

₩100,000 /mo

Avg. salary: +831% Russia vs North Korea

Unlike North Korea, which has no statutory minimum wage, Russia mandates a wage floor of $2/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $1,034/mo in Russia versus $111/mo in North Korea, a 9.3:1 ratio.

Russia's unemployment rate is 2.1% compared to North Korea's 3.5%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Russia and North Korea
Metric	Russia	North Korea	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	₽156.31 $1.61	None	—
Minimum wage /mo	₽27,093 $279.31	None	—
Minimum wage /yr	₽325,116 $3,351.71	None	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	₽100,316 /mo $1,034.19	₩100,000 /mo $111.11	+830.8%
Avg. net salary /mo	₽87,275 /mo $899.74	₩90,000 /mo $100	+799.7%
Median individual income /yr	₽880,800 /yr $9,080.41	N/A/yr	—

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

Work Week

Russia: 40 hrs/wk standard

Max 40 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Code sets 40 hrs/week standard. Reduced hours for certain categories: under-16 (24 hrs), 16-18 (35 hrs), hazardous work (36 hrs). First 2 hours of overtime: 1.5x; subsequent hours: 2.0x. Overtime limited to 4 hrs over 2 consecutive days, 120 hrs/year. Public holidays (14 per year) are paid non-working days.
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: Russia mandates 40 hours while North Korea mandates 48 hours.

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

Compare Russia with...

Russia vs United States $ 7.25 /hr

Russia vs China ¥ 25 /hr

Russia vs Germany € 13.9 /hr

Russia vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr

Russia vs India ₹ 4,628 /mo

Russia vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr

Russia vs France € 12.02 /hr

Russia vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr

Russia vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr

Russia vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr

Russia vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr

Russia vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr

Russia vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr

Russia vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr

Russia vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr

Russia vs Switzerland

Russia vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr

Russia vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo

Russia vs Sweden

Russia vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr

Russia vs Singapore

Russia vs Norway

Russia vs Austria

Russia vs Malaysia RM 8.72 /hr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Russia or North Korea?

In Russia, the minimum wage is ₽156.31/hr ($1.61 USD). In North Korea, it is no statutory minimum wage.

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

The average gross salary in Russia is ₽100,316/mo ($1,034.19 USD), compared to ₩100,000/mo ($111.11 USD) in North Korea. In USD terms, workers in Russia earn approximately 831% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Russia and North Korea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Russia earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in North Korea.

How do work hours compare between Russia and North Korea?

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