Key Facts: Somalia vs South Sudan Wages
- Somalia Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- Somalia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Sh150,000 /mo ($262.70 USD)
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / UN OCHA Somalia (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25)
Somalia 
South Sudan
Updated 2026-02-25
Somalia has no statutory minimum wage, while South Sudan sets a floor of $2/mo. Average gross salaries diverge further: $263/mo in Somalia versus $27/mo in South Sudan, a 9.6:1 ratio. South Sudan has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 12.4% compared to 18.9%.
Somalia's unemployment rate is 18.9% compared to South Sudan's 12.4%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Somalia | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | None | £7,000 $1.52 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Sh150,000 /mo $262.70 | £125,000 /mo $27.23 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Sh140,000 /mo $245.18 | £112,000 /mo $24.40 |
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.
- South Sudan
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Labour Act 2017 sets 40 hours/week as standard. Enforcement is effectively non-existent across most of the country due to ongoing conflict, institutional collapse, and absence of functioning labour inspectorates.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: Somalia mandates 48 hours while South Sudan mandates 40 hours.
See this comparison from South Sudan's perspective: South Sudan vs Somalia
Compare Somalia with...
Somalia vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Somalia vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Somalia vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Somalia vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Somalia vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Somalia vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Somalia vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Somalia vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Somalia vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Somalia vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Somalia vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Somalia vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Somalia vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Somalia vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Somalia vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Somalia vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Somalia vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Somalia vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Somalia vs Switzerland 
Somalia vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Somalia vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Somalia vs Sweden 
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Somalia vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Somalia or South Sudan?
In Somalia, the minimum wage is no statutory minimum wage. In South Sudan, it is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD).
How much more does the average worker earn in Somalia compared to South Sudan?
The average gross salary in Somalia is Sh150,000/mo ($262.70 USD), compared to £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD) in South Sudan. In USD terms, workers in Somalia earn approximately 865% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Somalia and South Sudan is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Somalia earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in South Sudan.
How do work hours compare between Somalia and South Sudan?
Somalia has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in South Sudan. Workers in Somalia work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in South Sudan 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.