Key Facts: South Sudan vs Norway Wages
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- Norway Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- Norway Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- kr55,150 /mo ($5,953.34 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25), Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet) (2026-05-28)
South Sudan
Norway
Updated 2026-05-28
Unlike Norway, which has no statutory minimum wage, South Sudan mandates a wage floor of $2/mo. Average gross salaries diverge further: $27/mo in South Sudan versus $5,953/mo in Norway, a 218.7:1 ratio. Norway has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 4.6% compared to 12.4%.
South Sudan's unemployment rate is 12.4% compared to Norway's 4.6%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | South Sudan | Norway |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | £7,000 $1.52 | None |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £125,000 /mo $27.23 | kr55,150 /mo $5,953.34 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | £112,000 /mo $24.40 | kr38,600 /mo $4,166.80 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | kr570,000 /yr $61,530.49 |
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.
- Norway
-
37.5 hrs/wk standard
Max 40 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.4x pay
The Working Environment Act sets a maximum of 40 hours/week, but most collective agreements specify 37.5 hours. Overtime premium minimum 40% by law. Maximum overtime: 10 hrs/week, 25 hrs over 4 consecutive weeks, 200 hrs/year. Night and Sunday work requires additional premiums by agreement.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: South Sudan mandates 40 hours while Norway mandates 37.5 hours.
See this comparison from Norway's perspective: Norway vs South Sudan
Compare South Sudan with...
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in South Sudan or Norway?
In South Sudan, the minimum wage is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). In Norway, it is no statutory minimum wage.
How much less does the average worker earn in South Sudan compared to Norway?
The average gross salary in South Sudan is £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD), compared to kr55,150/mo ($5,953.34 USD) in Norway. In USD terms, workers in South Sudan earn approximately 21765% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between South Sudan and Norway is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Norway 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 Norway?
South Sudan has a longer standard work week at 40 hours, compared to 37.5 hours in Norway. Workers in South Sudan work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Norway 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.