Skip to main content

Key Facts: South Sudan vs Libya Wages

South Sudan Minimum Wage
£7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
Libya Minimum Wage
LD450/mo ($92.59 USD)
South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
£125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
Libya Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
LD1,800 /mo ($370.37 USD)
Data Sources
ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25), ILO / Ministry of Labour and Rehabilitation (Libya) (2026-02-25)

South Sudan flag South Sudan Libya flag Libya

Updated 2026-02-25

South Sudan flag South Sudan

Minimum Wage

£7,000 /mo

$1.52 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

£125,000 /mo

Libya flag Libya

Minimum Wage

LD450 /mo

$92.59 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

LD1,800 /mo

Min wage: -98% South Sudan vs Libya Avg. salary: -93% South Sudan vs Libya

The minimum wage in South Sudan is roughly 61 times lower than in Libya in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $27/mo in South Sudan versus $370/mo in Libya, a 13.6:1 ratio. South Sudan has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 12.4% compared to 18.8%.

From South Sudan's perspective: adjusting for purchasing power, South Sudan's minimum wage buys less than Libya's. The PPP-adjusted hourly rate in South Sudan is $55 international dollars, compared to $203 in Libya. South Sudan's unemployment rate is 12.4% compared to Libya's 18.8%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between South Sudan and Libya
Metric South Sudan Libya
Minimum wage /mo £7,000 $1.52 LD450 $92.59
Avg. gross salary /mo £125,000 /mo $27.23 LD1,800 /mo $370.37
Avg. net salary /mo £112,000 /mo $24.40 N/A/mo
Median individual income /yr N/A/yr LD7,200 /yr $1,481.48

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.

Libya

48 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Law No. 12 (2010) sets standard at 48 hours/week (8 hrs/day, 6 days). Friday is the statutory rest day. During Ramadan, hours are reduced. Overtime paid at 1.5x. These regulations are inconsistently enforced given the political situation.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/mo)

South Sudan Libya Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/mo

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in South Sudan earns 5973% less per hour in USD terms than one in Libya. Standard work weeks differ: South Sudan mandates 40 hours while Libya mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in South Sudan are $61 vs $4,444 in Libya.

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

Compare South Sudan with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in South Sudan or Libya?

In South Sudan, the minimum wage is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). In Libya, it is LD450/mo ($92.59 USD). Libya has the higher rate by 5973% 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 Libya?

The average gross salary in South Sudan is £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD), compared to LD1,800/mo ($370.37 USD) in Libya. In USD terms, workers in South Sudan earn approximately 1260% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between South Sudan and Libya is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Libya 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 Libya?

After adjusting for local prices using purchasing power parity (PPP), minimum wage workers in Libya can afford more than those in South Sudan. The PPP-adjusted rate is $55 in South Sudan and $203 in Libya. PPP converts wages into equivalent US dollar buying power, accounting for what a unit of currency actually buys locally. The 267% 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 Libya?

Libya 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.