Key Facts: South Sudan vs Tanzania Wages
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- Tanzania Minimum Wage
- TZS1,010/hr ($0.38 USD)
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- Tanzania Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- TZS650,000 /mo ($244.36 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25), Ministry of Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disabilities; Labour Institutions (Minimum Wage for Private Sector) Order, 2025 — Government Notice No. 605A, gazetted 13 October 2025, eff 1 January 2026 (kazi.go.tz PDF) (2026-05-27)
South Sudan
Tanzania
Updated 2026-05-27
The minimum wage in South Sudan is 302% higher than in Tanzania when converted to USD. Average gross salaries diverge further: $27/mo in South Sudan versus $244/mo in Tanzania, a 9.0:1 ratio. Tanzania has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.6% compared to 12.4%.
South Sudan's unemployment rate is 12.4% compared to Tanzania's 1.6%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | South Sudan | Tanzania |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | TZS1,010 $0.38 |
| Minimum wage /day | — | TZS5,833 $2.19 |
| Minimum wage /mo | £7,000 $1.52 | TZS175,000 $65.79 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | TZS2,100,000 $789.47 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £125,000 /mo $27.23 | TZS650,000 /mo $244.36 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | £112,000 /mo $24.40 | TZS520,000 /mo $195.49 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | TZS2,400,000 /yr $902.26 |
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.
- Tanzania
-
45 hrs/wk standard
Max 45 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Employment and Labour Relations Act sets ordinary working hours at 45 per week (9 hours/day for 5-day week, or various combinations not exceeding 45). Overtime: 150% of normal rate. Public holiday work: 200%. Maximum overtime is 50 hours in any 4-week cycle. Night work restrictions apply to pregnant women and young persons.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Tanzania to South Sudan would see a 302% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: South Sudan mandates 40 hours while Tanzania mandates 45 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in South Sudan are $61 vs $17 in Tanzania.
See this comparison from Tanzania's perspective: Tanzania vs South Sudan
Compare South Sudan with...
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in South Sudan or Tanzania?
In South Sudan, the minimum wage is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). In Tanzania, it is TZS1,010/hr ($0.38 USD). South Sudan has the higher rate by 302% 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 Tanzania 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 Tanzania?
The average gross salary in South Sudan is £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD), compared to TZS650,000/mo ($244.36 USD) in Tanzania. In USD terms, workers in South Sudan earn approximately 797% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between South Sudan and Tanzania is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Tanzania 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 Tanzania?
Tanzania 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.