Key Facts: Yemen vs Afghanistan Wages
- Yemen Minimum Wage
- ﷼21,000/mo ($88.07 USD)
- Afghanistan Minimum Wage
- ؋5,500/mo ($87.05 USD)
- Yemen Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- ﷼85,000 /mo ($356.45 USD)
- Afghanistan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- ؋30,000 /mo ($474.83 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Yemen economic monitors (2026-02-25), ILOSTAT (DF_EAR_INEE_CUR_NB, 2024 reporting); confirmed via Wikipedia master list (2026-05-04)
Yemen
Afghanistan
Updated 2026-05-04
Both low-income economies, Yemen and Afghanistan set comparable minimum wage floors in USD terms. Average salaries are lower in Yemen at $356/mo compared to $475/mo in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 13.3% compared to 17.3%.
Yemen's unemployment rate is 17.3% compared to Afghanistan's 13.3%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Yemen | Afghanistan |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | ﷼21,000 $88.07 | ؋5,500 $87.05 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | ﷼85,000 /mo $356.45 | ؋30,000 /mo $474.83 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | ﷼75,000 /mo $314.52 | ؋26,000 /mo $411.52 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Yemen is higher.
Work Week
- Yemen
-
48 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Labour Law sets 48 hours/week. Thursday–Friday is the traditional weekend. Normal labour law enforcement has effectively ceased. Informal employment — petty trade, agriculture, and subsistence activities — dominates the economy.
- Afghanistan
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Labour Law (last version under previous government) set 40 hours/week. Friday is the weekly rest day. Under Taliban administration, Thursday is sometimes also observed as a rest day. Women's employment is severely restricted under Taliban policies.
• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/mo)
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Afghanistan to Yemen would see a 1% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Yemen mandates 48 hours while Afghanistan mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Yemen are $4,227 vs $3,482 in Afghanistan.
See this comparison from Afghanistan's perspective: Afghanistan vs Yemen
Compare Yemen with...
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Yemen or Afghanistan?
In Yemen, the minimum wage is ﷼21,000/mo ($88.07 USD). In Afghanistan, it is ؋5,500/mo ($87.05 USD). Yemen has the higher rate by 1% 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 Afghanistan may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much less does the average worker earn in Yemen compared to Afghanistan?
The average gross salary in Yemen is ﷼85,000/mo ($356.45 USD), compared to ؋30,000/mo ($474.83 USD) in Afghanistan. In USD terms, workers in Yemen earn approximately 33% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Yemen and Afghanistan is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Afghanistan earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Yemen.
How do work hours compare between Yemen and Afghanistan?
Yemen has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in Afghanistan. Workers in Yemen work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Afghanistan 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.