Key Facts: South Sudan vs Bangladesh Wages
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- Bangladesh Minimum Wage
- ৳12,500/mo ($103.73 USD)
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- Bangladesh Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- ৳18,000 /mo ($149.38 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25), Ministry of Labour and Employment / Minimum Wage Board; sectoral structure cross-referenced via Wikipedia List of countries by minimum wage (2026-05-04)
South Sudan
Bangladesh
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in South Sudan is roughly 68 times lower than in Bangladesh in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a lower-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $27/mo in South Sudan versus $149/mo in Bangladesh, a 5.5:1 ratio. Bangladesh has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 3.8% compared to 12.4%.
From South Sudan's perspective: adjusting for purchasing power, South Sudan's minimum wage buys less than Bangladesh's. The PPP-adjusted hourly rate in South Sudan is $55 international dollars, compared to $418 in Bangladesh. South Sudan's unemployment rate is 12.4% compared to Bangladesh's 3.8%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | South Sudan | Bangladesh |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | £7,000 $1.52 | ৳12,500 $103.73 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £125,000 /mo $27.23 | ৳18,000 /mo $149.38 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | £112,000 /mo $24.40 | ৳17,000 /mo $141.08 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | ৳108,000 /yr $896.27 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means South Sudan is higher.
Work Week
- 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.
- Bangladesh
-
48 hrs/wk standard
Max 60 hrs/wk
Overtime : 2x pay
Bangladesh Labour Act sets standard at 48 hours/week (8 hrs/day, 6 days). Maximum with overtime is 60 hours/week. Overtime paid at double the basic wage. Factories must provide one day off per week.
• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/mo)
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker in South Sudan earns 6703% less per hour in USD terms than one in Bangladesh. Standard work weeks differ: South Sudan mandates 40 hours while Bangladesh mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in South Sudan are $61 vs $4,979 in Bangladesh.
See this comparison from Bangladesh's perspective: Bangladesh vs South Sudan
Compare South Sudan with...
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in South Sudan or Bangladesh?
In South Sudan, the minimum wage is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). In Bangladesh, it is ৳12,500/mo ($103.73 USD). Bangladesh has the higher rate by 6703% 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 South Sudan may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much less does the average worker earn in South Sudan compared to Bangladesh?
The average gross salary in South Sudan is £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD), compared to ৳18,000/mo ($149.38 USD) in Bangladesh. In USD terms, workers in South Sudan earn approximately 449% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between South Sudan and Bangladesh is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Bangladesh earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in South Sudan.
Which country has better purchasing power for minimum wage workers, South Sudan or Bangladesh?
After adjusting for local prices using purchasing power parity (PPP), minimum wage workers in Bangladesh can afford more than those in South Sudan. The PPP-adjusted rate is $55 in South Sudan and $418 in Bangladesh. PPP converts wages into equivalent US dollar buying power, accounting for what a unit of currency actually buys locally. The 657% purchasing power gap means that even if the nominal wage in South Sudan appears competitive, minimum wage workers there face greater constraints on day-to-day spending.
How do work hours compare between South Sudan and Bangladesh?
Bangladesh has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in South Sudan. Workers in South Sudan work 40 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.