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Key Facts: South Sudan vs Brazil Wages

South Sudan Minimum Wage
£7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
Brazil Minimum Wage
R$7.37/hr ($1.47 USD)
South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
£125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
Brazil Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
R$3,200 /mo ($636.88 USD)
Data Sources
ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25), Brazilian Ministry of Labour and Employment (2026-03-02)

South Sudan flag South Sudan Brazil flag Brazil

Updated 2026-03-02

South Sudan flag South Sudan

Minimum Wage

£7,000 /mo

$1.52 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

£125,000 /mo

Brazil flag Brazil

Minimum Wage

R$7.37 /hr

$1.47 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

R$3,200 /mo

Min wage: +4% South Sudan vs Brazil Avg. salary: -96% South Sudan vs Brazil

South Sudan, a low-income economy, and Brazil, classified as upper-middle-income, take different approaches to wage policy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $27/mo in South Sudan versus $637/mo in Brazil, a 23.4:1 ratio. Brazil has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 6.0% compared to 12.4%.

South Sudan's unemployment rate is 12.4% compared to Brazil's 6.0%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between South Sudan and Brazil
Metric South Sudan Brazil
Minimum wage /hr R$7.37 $1.47
Minimum wage /day R$54.04 $10.76
Minimum wage /mo £7,000 $1.52 R$1,621 $322.62
Minimum wage /yr R$21,073 $4,194.05
Avg. gross salary /mo £125,000 /mo $27.23 R$3,200 /mo $636.88
Avg. net salary /mo £112,000 /mo $24.40 R$2,700 /mo $537.37
Median individual income /yr N/A/yr R$22,800 /yr $4,537.76

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.

Brazil

44 hrs/wk standard

Max 44 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Constitutional limit of 44 hours/week, 8 hours/day. Overtime minimum 50% premium (often higher by collective agreement). Sundays and holidays: 100% premium.

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker moving from Brazil to South Sudan would see a 4% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: South Sudan mandates 40 hours while Brazil mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in South Sudan are $61 vs $65 in Brazil.

See this comparison from Brazil's perspective: Brazil vs South Sudan

Compare South Sudan with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in South Sudan or Brazil?

In South Sudan, the minimum wage is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). In Brazil, it is R$7.37/hr ($1.47 USD). South Sudan has the higher rate by 4% 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 Brazil 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 Brazil?

The average gross salary in South Sudan is £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD), compared to R$3,200/mo ($636.88 USD) in Brazil. In USD terms, workers in South Sudan earn approximately 2239% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between South Sudan and Brazil is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Brazil 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 Brazil?

Brazil has a longer standard work week at 44 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.