Key Facts: South Sudan vs United Arab Emirates Wages
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- United Arab Emirates Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- United Arab Emirates Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- AED16,000 /mo ($4,356.71 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25), Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE); UAE has no universal statutory minimum wage — Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 empowers Cabinet to set one but none has been enacted (2026-05-04)
South Sudan 
United Arab Emirates
Updated 2026-05-04
Unlike the United Arab Emirates, 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 $4,357/mo in the United Arab Emirates, a 160.0:1 ratio. United Arab Emirates has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 2.2% compared to 12.4%.
South Sudan's unemployment rate is 12.4% compared to the United Arab Emirates' 2.2%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | South Sudan | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | £7,000 $1.52 | None |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £125,000 /mo $27.23 | AED16,000 /mo $4,356.71 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | £112,000 /mo $24.40 | AED16,000 /mo $4,356.71 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | AED120,000 /yr $32,675.29 |
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.
- United Arab Emirates
-
48 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.25x pay
Standard workweek is 8 hours/day, 48 hours/week (6-day week). Government sector moved to a 4.5-day week (Mon-Fri noon) in January 2022. During Ramadan, working hours are reduced by 2 hours/day. Overtime premium: 25% for normal overtime, 50% for overtime between 9pm-4am. Maximum 2 hours overtime per day. Friday is the weekly rest day (or as per contract).
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: South Sudan mandates 40 hours while the United Arab Emirates mandates 48 hours.
See this comparison from United Arab Emirates's perspective: United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates?
In South Sudan, the minimum wage is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). In the United Arab Emirates, it is no statutory minimum wage.
How much less does the average worker earn in South Sudan compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average gross salary in South Sudan is £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD), compared to AED16,000/mo ($4,356.71 USD) in the United Arab Emirates. In USD terms, workers in South Sudan earn approximately 15901% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between South Sudan and United Arab Emirates is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in the United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates 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.