Yemen Sri Lanka

Updated 2026-05-04

Yemen

Minimum Wage

﷼21,000 /mo

$88.07 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

﷼85,000 /mo

Sri Lanka

Minimum Wage

Rs135 /hr

$0.45 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

Rs55,000 /mo

Min wage: +19405% Yemen vs Sri Lanka Avg. salary: +94% Yemen vs Sri Lanka

The minimum wage in Yemen is roughly 195 times higher than in Sri Lanka in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a lower-middle-income economy. Average salaries are higher in Yemen at $356/mo compared to $184/mo in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 4.0% compared to 17.3%.

Yemen's unemployment rate is 17.3% compared to Sri Lanka's 4.0%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Yemen and Sri Lanka
Metric	Yemen	Sri Lanka	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	—	Rs135 $0.45	—
Minimum wage /day	—	Rs1,080 $3.61	—
Minimum wage /mo	﷼21,000 $88.07	Rs27,000 $90.30	-2.5%
Minimum wage /yr	—	Rs324,000 $1,083.61	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	﷼85,000 /mo $356.45	Rs55,000 /mo $183.95	+93.8%
Avg. net salary /mo	﷼75,000 /mo $314.52	Rs49,500 /mo $165.55	+90.0%
Median individual income /yr	N/A/yr	Rs420,000 /yr $1,404.68	—

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.
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).

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker moving from Sri Lanka to Yemen would see a 19405% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Yemen mandates 48 hours while Sri Lanka mandates 45 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Yemen are $4,227 vs $20 in Sri Lanka.

See this comparison from Sri Lanka's perspective: Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka?

In Yemen, the minimum wage is ﷼21,000/mo ($88.07 USD). In Sri Lanka, it is Rs135/hr ($0.45 USD). Yemen has the higher rate by 19405% 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 more does the average worker earn in Yemen compared to Sri Lanka?

The average gross salary in Yemen is ﷼85,000/mo ($356.45 USD), compared to Rs55,000/mo ($183.95 USD) in Sri Lanka. In USD terms, workers in Yemen earn approximately 94% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Yemen and Sri Lanka is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Yemen earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Sri Lanka.

How do work hours compare between Yemen and Sri Lanka?

Yemen has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 45 hours in Sri Lanka. Workers in Yemen work 48 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.