Key Facts: South Sudan vs Somalia Wages
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- Somalia Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- Somalia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Sh150,000 /mo ($262.70 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / UN OCHA Somalia (2026-02-25)
South Sudan 
Somalia
Updated 2026-02-25
Unlike Somalia, 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 $263/mo in Somalia, a 9.6:1 ratio. South Sudan has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 12.4% compared to 18.9%.
South Sudan's unemployment rate is 12.4% compared to Somalia's 18.9%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | South Sudan | Somalia |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | £7,000 $1.52 | None |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £125,000 /mo $27.23 | Sh150,000 /mo $262.70 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | £112,000 /mo $24.40 | Sh140,000 /mo $245.18 |
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.
- Somalia
-
48 hrs/wk standard
No reliable standardised workweek provisions are enforced. Friday is the weekly rest day. Labour conditions vary widely between sectors — from formal NGO employment with international standards to highly exploitative informal arrangements. Somaliland and Puntland have some locally administered labour rules.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: South Sudan mandates 40 hours while Somalia mandates 48 hours.
See this comparison from Somalia's perspective: Somalia 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 Somalia?
In South Sudan, the minimum wage is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). In Somalia, it is no statutory minimum wage.
How much less does the average worker earn in South Sudan compared to Somalia?
The average gross salary in South Sudan is £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD), compared to Sh150,000/mo ($262.70 USD) in Somalia. In USD terms, workers in South Sudan earn approximately 865% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between South Sudan and Somalia is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Somalia 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 Somalia?
Somalia 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.