Key Facts: Sri Lanka vs Eritrea Wages
- Sri Lanka Minimum Wage
- Rs135/hr ($0.45 USD)
- Eritrea Minimum Wage
- Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
- Sri Lanka Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Rs55,000 /mo ($183.95 USD)
- Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
- Data Sources
- Department of Labour — Sri Lanka; 2025 figure verified via Wikipedia List of countries by minimum wage (eff 2025-04-01) (2026-05-04), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25)
Sri Lanka 
Eritrea
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Sri Lanka is roughly 89 times lower than in Eritrea in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a lower-middle-income and a low-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $184/mo in Sri Lanka versus $400/mo in Eritrea, a 2.2:1 ratio.
Sri Lanka's unemployment rate is 4.0% compared to Eritrea's 6.0%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Sri Lanka | Eritrea |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | Rs135 $0.45 | — |
| Minimum wage /day | Rs1,080 $3.61 | — |
| Minimum wage /mo | Rs27,000 $90.30 | Nfk600 $40 |
| Minimum wage /yr | Rs324,000 $1,083.61 | — |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | Rs55,000 /mo $183.95 | Nfk6,000 /mo $400 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | Rs49,500 /mo $165.55 | Nfk5,400 /mo $360 |
| Median individual income /yr | Rs420,000 /yr $1,404.68 | N/A/yr |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Sri Lanka is higher.
Work Week
- 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).
- Eritrea
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Labour Law sets 44 hours/week for civilian workers (8 hours/day, 5.5 days). However, the national service program operates under military regulations outside normal labour law. No reliable enforcement or monitoring data is available.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker in Sri Lanka earns 8759% less per hour in USD terms than one in Eritrea. Standard work weeks differ: Sri Lanka mandates 45 hours while Eritrea mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Sri Lanka are $20 vs $1,760 in Eritrea.
See this comparison from Eritrea's perspective: Eritrea vs Sri Lanka
Compare Sri Lanka with...
Sri Lanka vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Sri Lanka vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Sri Lanka vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Switzerland 
Sri Lanka vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Sri Lanka vs Sweden 
Sri Lanka vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Sri Lanka vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Sri Lanka or Eritrea?
In Sri Lanka, the minimum wage is Rs135/hr ($0.45 USD). In Eritrea, it is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). Eritrea has the higher rate by 8759% 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 Sri Lanka compared to Eritrea?
The average gross salary in Sri Lanka is Rs55,000/mo ($183.95 USD), compared to Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD) in Eritrea. In USD terms, workers in Sri Lanka earn approximately 117% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Sri Lanka and Eritrea is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Eritrea earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Sri Lanka.
How do work hours compare between Sri Lanka and Eritrea?
Sri Lanka has a longer standard work week at 45 hours, compared to 44 hours in Eritrea. Workers in Sri Lanka work 45 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Eritrea 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.