Monthly minimum wage in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Monthly minimum wage was 17,500 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
17,500
Change on year
up 40.0%
World rank
60th
of 173 countries
All-time high
17,500
in 2024
All-time low
1,790
in 1996
Years of data
23
1996–2024

Monthly minimum wage in Sri Lanka, 1996–2024

05.0k10.0k15.0k20.0k1996201020241996: 1.8k1997: 1.9k1998: 2.0k1999: 2.1k2000: 2.2k2001: 2.5k2002: 2.6k2003: 2.7k2004: 2.9k2005: 3.0k2006: 3.1k2007: 4.1k2008: 5.3k2009: 5.9k2016: 12.5k2017: 12.5k2018: 12.5k2019: 12.5k2020: 12.5k2021: 12.5k2022: 12.5k2023: 12.5k2024: 17.5k

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2024, monthly minimum wage in Sri Lanka stood at 17,500. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

The figure is up 40.0% on the previous year and up 40.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, monthly minimum wage in Sri Lanka peaked at 17,500 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1,790, in 1996.

Sri Lanka ranks 60th of 173 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Monthly minimum wage in Sri Lanka, year by year

Annual values for Monthly minimum wage in Sri Lanka, 1996 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1996 1,790
1997 1,853 +3.5%
1998 2,003 +8.1%
1999 2,132 +6.4%
2000 2,227 +4.5%
2001 2,504 +12.4%
2002 2,646 +5.7%
2003 2,729 +3.1%
2004 2,949 +8.1%
2005 3,010 +2.1%
2006 3,063 +1.8%
2007 4,127 +34.7%
2008 5,283 +28.0%
2009 5,888 +11.5%
2016 12,500 +112.3%
2017 12,500 +0.0%
2018 12,500 +0.0%
2019 12,500 +0.0%
2020 12,500 +0.0%
2021 12,500 +0.0%
2022 12,500 +0.0%
2023 12,500 +0.0%
2024 17,500 +40.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1,944 1,790 2,132 4
2000s 3,443 2,227 5,888 10
2010s 12,500 12,500 12,500 4
2020s 13,500 12,500 17,500 5

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 57 Russia 19,242 compare
  2. 58 Guinea-Bissau 19,030 compare
  3. 59 Haiti 17,810 compare
  4. 61 Nepal 17,300 compare
  5. 62 Kenya 16,033 compare
  6. 63 Cape Verde 15,000 compare
  7. 63 Mauritius 15,000 compare

See the full ranking of 173 places →

More work & labour data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is monthly minimum wage in Sri Lanka?
Monthly minimum wage in Sri Lanka was 17,500 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest monthly minimum wage recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 17,500 in 2024.
What is the lowest monthly minimum wage recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 1,790 in 1996.
How does Sri Lanka rank for monthly minimum wage?
Sri Lanka ranks 60th out of 173 countries with data for 2024.
Is monthly minimum wage rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 40.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Monthly minimum wage. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Monthly minimum wage in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/monthly-minimum-wage/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Monthly minimum wage
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
173 places, 3,960 data points, 1980–2026
Last refreshed

Data refer to the minimum monthly earnings of all employees as of December 31st of each year. Minimum wages are not reported for countries for which collective bargaining is in place for minimum wages. In cases where a national minimum wage is not mandated, the minimum wage in place in the capital or major city is used. In some cases, an average of multiple regional minimum wages is used. In countries where the minimum wage is set at the sectoral level or occupational level, the minimum wage for manufacturing or unskilled workers is generally applied. Data are converted to U.S. dollars as the common currency, using exchange rates or purchasing power parity (PPP) rates rates for private consumption expenditures. The latter series allows for international comparisons by taking account of the differences in relative prices between countries. For more information, refer to the Wages and Working Time Statistics (COND) database description.