Key Facts: South Sudan vs Belgium Wages
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- Belgium Minimum Wage
- €13.30/hr ($15.49 USD)
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- Belgium Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- €3,886 /mo ($4,525.45 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25), SPF Emploi, Travail et Concertation Sociale; 2026 figure verified via Wikipedia EU member states by minimum wage table (eff 2026-04-01) (2026-05-04)
South Sudan 
Belgium
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in South Sudan is roughly 10 times lower than in Belgium in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a high-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $27/mo in South Sudan versus $4,525/mo in Belgium, a 166.2:1 ratio. Belgium has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 5.9% compared to 12.4%.
South Sudan's unemployment rate is 12.4% compared to Belgium's 5.9%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | South Sudan | Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | €13.30 $15.49 |
| Minimum wage /mo | £7,000 $1.52 | €2,189.81 $2,550.15 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | €26,277.72 $30,601.75 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £125,000 /mo $27.23 | €3,886 /mo $4,525.45 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | £112,000 /mo $24.40 | €2,450 /mo $2,853.15 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | €33,000 /yr $38,430.19 |
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.
- Belgium
-
38 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Standard workweek is 38 hours (Labour Act). Daily maximum is 8 hours (9 hours with flexible schedules). Overtime requires authorization and must be compensated at 150% on weekdays and 200% on Sundays/public holidays. Compensatory time off is also required. EU Working Time Directive caps average at 48 hrs/week.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker in South Sudan earns 916% less per hour in USD terms than one in Belgium. Standard work weeks differ: South Sudan mandates 40 hours while Belgium mandates 38 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in South Sudan are $61 vs $589 in Belgium.
See this comparison from Belgium's perspective: Belgium vs South Sudan
Compare South Sudan with...
South Sudan vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
South Sudan vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
South Sudan vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
South Sudan vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
South Sudan vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
South Sudan vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
South Sudan vs France € 12.02 /hr 
South Sudan vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
South Sudan vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
South Sudan vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
South Sudan vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
South Sudan vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
South Sudan vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
South Sudan vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
South Sudan vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
South Sudan vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
South Sudan vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
South Sudan vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
South Sudan vs Switzerland 
South Sudan vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
South Sudan vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
South Sudan vs Sweden 
South Sudan vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
South Sudan vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in South Sudan or Belgium?
In South Sudan, the minimum wage is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). In Belgium, it is €13.30/hr ($15.49 USD). Belgium has the higher rate by 916% 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 Belgium?
The average gross salary in South Sudan is £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD), compared to €3,886/mo ($4,525.45 USD) in Belgium. In USD terms, workers in South Sudan earn approximately 16521% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between South Sudan and Belgium is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Belgium earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in South Sudan.
How do work hours compare between South Sudan and Belgium?
South Sudan has a longer standard work week at 40 hours, compared to 38 hours in Belgium. Workers in South Sudan work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Belgium 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.