Sri Lanka has been ranked 120th out of 130 countries in a global minimum wage comparison published by Visual Capitalist, based on data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

According to the ranking, which adjusts minimum wages for differences in the cost of living and purchasing power parity (PPP), Sri Lanka’s monthly minimum wage was equivalent to US$200 in purchasing power terms.

Switzerland topped the global ranking, with a PPP-adjusted monthly minimum wage of US$3,804.

The other countries in the top 10 were Germany at US$2,928, the United Kingdom at US$2,902, the Netherlands at US$2,876, Australia at US$2,819, Belgium at US$2,752, Iceland at US$2,730, New Zealand at US$2,673, France at US$2,465 and Ireland at US$2,433.

South Korea, which recorded the highest minimum wage in Asia at US$2,362 per month, ranked 11th globally, while Japan ranked 16th with US$1,839.

Among South Asian countries, Sri Lanka was ranked last, with several neighbouring countries placed higher in the index.

Pakistan ranked 68th with a PPP-adjusted monthly minimum wage of US$570, followed by Nepal at 78th with US$490, Bangladesh at 89th with US$379 and India at 111th with US$233.

Only 10 countries were ranked below Sri Lanka. They were Niger, Bhutan, Haiti, Guinea, the Central African Republic, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Guinea-Bissau and The Gambia, which recorded the lowest figure at US$67 per month.

Visual Capitalist noted that the figures were adjusted according to local purchasing power rather than being based on direct conversions of wages into U.S. dollars. The comparison also does not take taxes or additional benefits and allowances into account.

The figures are based on 2024 ILO data and are intended to provide a standardised comparison of minimum wages across countries with different living costs and wage systems.

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