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Key Facts: Somalia vs Greece Wages

Somalia Minimum Wage
No statutory minimum wage
Greece Minimum Wage
€5.31/hr ($6.18 USD)
Somalia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
Sh150,000 /mo ($262.70 USD)
Greece Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
€1,400 /mo ($1,630.37 USD)
Data Sources
ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / UN OCHA Somalia (2026-02-25), Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Υπουργείο Εργασίας και Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης); 2026 figure verified via Wikipedia EU member states by minimum wage table (eff 2026-04-01) (2026-05-04)

Somalia flag Somalia Greece flag Greece

Updated 2026-05-04

Somalia flag Somalia

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

Sh150,000 /mo

Greece flag Greece

Minimum Wage

€5.31 /hr

$6.18 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€1,400 /mo

Avg. salary: -84% Somalia vs Greece

Somalia has no statutory minimum wage, while Greece sets a floor of $6/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $263/mo in Somalia versus $1,630/mo in Greece, a 6.2:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Greece is 27.7x that of Somalia, underscoring the structural economic divide.

Somalia has lower GDP per capita ($1,602 vs $44,327). Somalia's unemployment rate is 18.9% compared to Greece's 8.5%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Somalia and Greece
Metric Somalia Greece
Minimum wage /hr None €5.31 $6.18
Minimum wage /mo None €920 $1,071.39
Minimum wage /yr None €12,880 $14,999.42
Avg. gross salary /mo Sh150,000 /mo $262.70 €1,400 /mo $1,630.37
Avg. net salary /mo Sh140,000 /mo $245.18 €1,100 /mo $1,281.01
Median individual income /yr N/A/yr €12,800 /yr $14,906.25

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

Work Week

Somalia

48 hrs/wk standard

No reliable standardised workweek provisions are enforced. Friday is the weekly rest day. Labour conditions vary widely between sectors — from formal NGO employment with international standards to highly exploitative informal arrangements. Somaliland and Puntland have some locally administered labour rules.

Greece

40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.2x pay

Standard workweek is 40 hours across 5 days (Labour Law). Overtime beyond 40 hours is compensated at 120% for the first 5 hours per week and 140% thereafter. In 2024, Greece introduced optional 6-day workweek legislation for certain industries, with the 6th day paid at 140%. EU Working Time Directive limits average to 48 hrs/week.

What This Means for Workers

Standard work weeks differ: Somalia mandates 48 hours while Greece mandates 40 hours.

See this comparison from Greece's perspective: Greece vs Somalia

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Somalia or Greece?

In Somalia, the minimum wage is no statutory minimum wage. In Greece, it is €5.31/hr ($6.18 USD).

How much less does the average worker earn in Somalia compared to Greece?

The average gross salary in Somalia is Sh150,000/mo ($262.70 USD), compared to €1,400/mo ($1,630.37 USD) in Greece. In USD terms, workers in Somalia earn approximately 521% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Somalia and Greece is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Greece earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Somalia.

How do work hours compare between Somalia and Greece?

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

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Greece has the higher GDP per capita at $44,327, which is 27.7x that of Somalia at $1,602. From Somalia's perspective, this means goods and services are priced at a lower 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.