Sri Lanka North Korea

Updated 2026-05-04

Sri Lanka

Minimum Wage

Rs135 /hr

$0.45 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

Rs55,000 /mo

North Korea

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

₩100,000 /mo

Avg. salary: +66% Sri Lanka vs North Korea

Unlike North Korea, which has no statutory minimum wage, Sri Lanka mandates a wage floor of $0/hr. Average salaries are higher in Sri Lanka at $184/mo compared to $111/mo in North Korea.

Sri Lanka's unemployment rate is 4.0% compared to North Korea's 3.5%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Sri Lanka and North Korea
Metric	Sri Lanka	North Korea	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	Rs135 $0.45	None	—
Minimum wage /day	Rs1,080 $3.61	None	—
Minimum wage /mo	Rs27,000 $90.30	None	—
Minimum wage /yr	Rs324,000 $1,083.61	None	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	Rs55,000 /mo $183.95	₩100,000 /mo $111.11	+65.6%
Avg. net salary /mo	Rs49,500 /mo $165.55	₩90,000 /mo $100	+65.6%
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).
North Korea: 48 hrs/wk standard

The North Korean Labour Law formally sets an 8-hour working day. In practice, many workers are required to spend additional hours in compulsory political study, military training, and 'volunteer' labour campaigns. The actual workweek for state employees varies widely by sector and location. No independent verification of labour conditions is possible.

What This Means for Workers

Standard work weeks differ: Sri Lanka mandates 45 hours while North Korea mandates 48 hours.

See this comparison from North Korea's perspective: North Korea 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 North Korea?

In Sri Lanka, the minimum wage is Rs135/hr ($0.45 USD). In North Korea, it is no statutory minimum wage.

How much more does the average worker earn in Sri Lanka compared to North Korea?

The average gross salary in Sri Lanka is Rs55,000/mo ($183.95 USD), compared to ₩100,000/mo ($111.11 USD) in North Korea. In USD terms, workers in Sri Lanka earn approximately 66% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Sri Lanka and North Korea 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 North Korea.

How do work hours compare between Sri Lanka and North Korea?

North Korea has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 45 hours in Sri Lanka. Workers in Sri Lanka work 45 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Sri Lanka 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.