Key Facts: South Sudan vs Sri Lanka Wages
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- Sri Lanka Minimum Wage
- Rs135/hr ($0.45 USD)
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- Sri Lanka Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Rs55,000 /mo ($183.95 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25), Department of Labour — Sri Lanka; 2025 figure verified via Wikipedia List of countries by minimum wage (eff 2025-04-01) (2026-05-04)
South Sudan 
Sri Lanka
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in South Sudan is 238% higher than in Sri Lanka when converted to USD. Average gross salaries diverge further: $27/mo in South Sudan versus $184/mo in Sri Lanka, a 6.8:1 ratio. Sri Lanka has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 4.0% compared to 12.4%.
South Sudan's unemployment rate is 12.4% compared to Sri Lanka's 4.0%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | South Sudan | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | Rs135 $0.45 |
| Minimum wage /day | — | Rs1,080 $3.61 |
| Minimum wage /mo | £7,000 $1.52 | Rs27,000 $90.30 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | Rs324,000 $1,083.61 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £125,000 /mo $27.23 | Rs55,000 /mo $183.95 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | £112,000 /mo $24.40 | Rs49,500 /mo $165.55 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | Rs420,000 /yr $1,404.68 |
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.
- Sri Lanka
-
45 hrs/wk standard
Max 45 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Shop and Office Employees Act limits hours to 8 per day and 45 per week for commercial establishments. Factories Ordinance limits factory workers to similar hours. Overtime is paid at 1.5x the ordinary rate. Different rules apply to plantation workers and domestic workers. Public holidays: approximately 25 per year (Sri Lanka has one of the highest numbers of public holidays globally).
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Sri Lanka to South Sudan would see a 238% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: South Sudan mandates 40 hours while Sri Lanka mandates 45 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in South Sudan are $61 vs $20 in Sri Lanka.
See this comparison from Sri Lanka's perspective: Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka?
In South Sudan, the minimum wage is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). In Sri Lanka, it is Rs135/hr ($0.45 USD). South Sudan has the higher rate by 238% 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 Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka?
The average gross salary in South Sudan is £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD), compared to Rs55,000/mo ($183.95 USD) in Sri Lanka. In USD terms, workers in South Sudan earn approximately 576% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between South Sudan and Sri Lanka is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka has a longer standard work week at 45 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.