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Key Facts: Suriname vs Eritrea Wages

Suriname Minimum Wage
Sr$2,166/mo ($59.02 USD)
Eritrea Minimum Wage
Nfk600/mo ($40 USD)
Suriname Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
Sr$5,500 /mo ($149.86 USD)
Eritrea Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
Nfk6,000 /mo ($400 USD)
Data Sources
Ministry of Labour, Technological Development and Environment — Suriname / ILO (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / OHCHR Eritrea reports (2026-02-25)

Suriname flag Suriname Eritrea flag Eritrea

Updated 2026-02-25

Suriname flag Suriname

Minimum Wage

Sr$2,166 /mo

$59.02 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

Sr$5,500 /mo

Eritrea flag Eritrea

Minimum Wage

Nfk600 /mo

$40 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

Nfk6,000 /mo

Min wage: +48% Suriname vs Eritrea Avg. salary: -63% Suriname vs Eritrea

Suriname, a upper-middle-income economy, and Eritrea, classified as low-income, take different approaches to wage policy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $150/mo in Suriname versus $400/mo in Eritrea, a 2.7:1 ratio.

From Suriname's perspective: adjusting for purchasing power, Suriname's minimum wage buys more than Eritrea's. The PPP-adjusted hourly rate in Suriname is $204 international dollars, compared to $121 in Eritrea. Suriname's unemployment rate is 7.8% compared to Eritrea's 6.0%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Suriname and Eritrea
Metric Suriname Eritrea
Minimum wage /mo Sr$2,166 $59.02 Nfk600 $40
Minimum wage /yr Sr$25,992 $708.23
Avg. gross salary /mo Sr$5,500 /mo $149.86 Nfk6,000 /mo $400
Avg. net salary /mo Sr$4,700 /mo $128.07 Nfk5,400 /mo $360
Median individual income /yr Sr$28,000 /yr $762.94 N/A/yr

Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Suriname is higher.

Work Week

Suriname

40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Suriname Labour Act sets the standard workweek at 40 hours (8 hours/day, 5 days). Maximum including overtime is 48 hours. Overtime is compensated at a minimum of 1.5x the regular wage. Sunday and public holiday work is typically at 2x.

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.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/mo)

Suriname Eritrea Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/mo

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker moving from Eritrea to Suriname would see a 48% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Suriname mandates 40 hours while Eritrea mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Suriname are $2,361 vs $1,760 in Eritrea.

See this comparison from Eritrea's perspective: Eritrea vs Suriname

Compare Suriname with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Suriname or Eritrea?

In Suriname, the minimum wage is Sr$2,166/mo ($59.02 USD). In Eritrea, it is Nfk600/mo ($40 USD). Suriname has the higher rate by 48% 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 Eritrea may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

How much less does the average worker earn in Suriname compared to Eritrea?

The average gross salary in Suriname is Sr$5,500/mo ($149.86 USD), compared to Nfk6,000/mo ($400 USD) in Eritrea. In USD terms, workers in Suriname earn approximately 167% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Suriname 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 Suriname.

Which country has better purchasing power for minimum wage workers, Suriname or Eritrea?

After adjusting for local prices using purchasing power parity (PPP), minimum wage workers in Suriname can afford more than those in Eritrea. The PPP-adjusted rate is $204 in Suriname and $121 in Eritrea. PPP converts wages into equivalent US dollar buying power, accounting for what a unit of currency actually buys locally. The 68% purchasing power gap means that even if the nominal wage in Eritrea appears competitive, minimum wage workers there face greater constraints on day-to-day spending.

How do work hours compare between Suriname and Eritrea?

Eritrea has a longer standard work week at 44 hours, compared to 40 hours in Suriname. Workers in Suriname work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Suriname 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.