Key Facts: Singapore vs Egypt Wages
- Singapore Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- Egypt Minimum Wage
- E£29.17/hr ($0.57 USD)
- Singapore Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- S$5,800 /mo ($4,539.05 USD)
- Egypt Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- E£6,833 /mo ($134.51 USD)
- Data Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (MOM) (2026-06-01), Ministry of Manpower / National Wages Council; 2025 and 2026 announcements verified via JETRO citing Egyptian government sources (2026-05-27)
Singapore
Egypt
Updated 2026-06-01
Singapore has no statutory minimum wage, while Egypt sets a floor of $1/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $4,539/mo in Singapore versus $135/mo in Egypt, a 33.7:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Singapore is 7.9x that of Egypt, underscoring the structural economic divide.
Singapore has higher GDP per capita ($150,689 vs $19,094). Singapore's unemployment rate is 2.8% compared to Egypt's 6.8%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Singapore | Egypt |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | None | E£29.17 $0.57 |
| Minimum wage /mo | None | E£7,000 $137.80 |
| Minimum wage /yr | None | E£84,000 $1,653.54 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | S$5,800 /mo $4,539.05 | E£6,833 /mo $134.51 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | S$4,930 /mo $3,858.19 | E£6,150 /mo $121.06 |
| Median individual income /yr | S$66,000 /yr $51,651.28 | N/A/yr |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Singapore is higher.
Work Week
- Singapore
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Max 44 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Employment Act caps at 44 hours/week (8 hrs/day for 5-day week, or 9 hrs/day for fewer days). Overtime pay at 1.5x hourly basic rate, applies to non-workmen earning up to SGD 2,600/mo and workmen earning up to SGD 4,500/mo. Maximum overtime: 72 hours/month.
- Egypt
-
48 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.35x pay
Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 sets maximum working hours at 8 hours/day or 48 hours/week (excluding meal breaks). Overtime premium: 35% during the day, 70% at night. Maximum 2 overtime hours/day. Friday is the default weekly rest day. During Ramadan, working hours are commonly reduced in practice.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: Singapore mandates 44 hours while Egypt mandates 48 hours.
See this comparison from Egypt's perspective: Egypt vs Singapore
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Singapore or Egypt?
In Singapore, the minimum wage is no statutory minimum wage. In Egypt, it is E£29.17/hr ($0.57 USD).
How much more does the average worker earn in Singapore compared to Egypt?
The average gross salary in Singapore is S$5,800/mo ($4,539.05 USD), compared to E£6,833/mo ($134.51 USD) in Egypt. In USD terms, workers in Singapore earn approximately 3275% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Singapore and Egypt is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Singapore earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Egypt.
How do work hours compare between Singapore and Egypt?
Egypt has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in Singapore. Workers in Singapore work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Singapore 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.
What is the cost of living difference between Singapore and Egypt?
While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Singapore has the higher GDP per capita at $150,689, which is 7.9x that of Egypt at $19,094. From Singapore's perspective, this means goods and services are priced at a higher economic level. A higher GDP per capita generally correlates with higher wages, higher consumer prices, and greater availability of goods and services. Workers moving between these two countries should expect significant differences in rent, food, and transportation costs.