Key Facts: Yemen vs New Zealand Wages
- Yemen Minimum Wage
- ﷼21,000/mo ($88.07 USD)
- New Zealand Minimum Wage
- NZ$23.50/hr ($13.99 USD)
- Yemen Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- ﷼85,000 /mo ($356.45 USD)
- New Zealand Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- NZ$5,666.67 /mo ($3,374.22 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Yemen economic monitors (2026-02-25), Employment New Zealand / Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (2026-03-02)
Yemen 
New Zealand
Updated 2026-03-02
The minimum wage in Yemen is roughly 6 times higher than in New Zealand in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a high-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $356/mo in Yemen versus $3,374/mo in New Zealand, a 9.5:1 ratio. New Zealand has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 5.1% compared to 17.3%.
Yemen's unemployment rate is 17.3% compared to New Zealand's 5.1%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Yemen | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | NZ$23.50 $13.99 |
| Minimum wage /mo | ﷼21,000 $88.07 | NZ$4,073.83 $2,425.77 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | NZ$48,880 $29,105.63 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | ﷼85,000 /mo $356.45 | NZ$5,666.67 /mo $3,374.22 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | ﷼75,000 /mo $314.52 | NZ$4,533.33 /mo $2,699.37 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | NZ$61,828 /yr $36,815.53 |
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.
- New Zealand
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Overtime : 1.5x pay
No statutory maximum working hours, but employers must ensure reasonable working hours. Most employment agreements specify 40 hours/week. Overtime rates not mandated by statute but commonly 1.5x by agreement. Time-and-a-half and a day in lieu required for work on public holidays.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from New Zealand to Yemen would see a 529% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Yemen mandates 48 hours while New Zealand mandates 40 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Yemen are $4,227 vs $560 in New Zealand.
See this comparison from New Zealand's perspective: New Zealand vs Yemen
Compare Yemen with...
Yemen vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Yemen vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Yemen vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Yemen vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Yemen vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Yemen vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Yemen vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Yemen vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Yemen vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Yemen vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Yemen vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Yemen vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Yemen vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Yemen vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Yemen vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Yemen vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Yemen vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Yemen vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Yemen vs Switzerland 
Yemen vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Yemen vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Yemen vs Sweden 
Yemen vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Yemen vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Yemen or New Zealand?
In Yemen, the minimum wage is ﷼21,000/mo ($88.07 USD). In New Zealand, it is NZ$23.50/hr ($13.99 USD). Yemen has the higher rate by 529% 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 New Zealand 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 New Zealand?
The average gross salary in Yemen is ﷼85,000/mo ($356.45 USD), compared to NZ$5,666.67/mo ($3,374.22 USD) in New Zealand. In USD terms, workers in Yemen earn approximately 847% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Yemen and New Zealand is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in New Zealand 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 New Zealand?
Yemen has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in New Zealand. Workers in Yemen work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in New Zealand 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.