Key Facts: El Salvador vs Syria Wages
- El Salvador Minimum Wage
- $2.13/hr
- Syria Minimum Wage
- £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD)
- El Salvador Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- $500 /mo ($500 USD)
- Syria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £S13,500 /mo ($120.13 USD)
- Data Sources
- Ministerio de Trabajo y Previsión Social (Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare) — El Salvador (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Syria Report economic analyses (2026-02-25)
El Salvador
Syria
Updated 2026-02-25
The minimum wage in El Salvador is roughly 8 times lower than in Syria in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a lower-middle-income and a low-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $500/mo in El Salvador versus $120/mo in Syria, a 4.2:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in El Salvador is 2.8x that of Syria, underscoring the structural economic divide.
El Salvador has higher GDP per capita ($13,264 vs $4,772). El Salvador's unemployment rate is 3.3% compared to Syria's 13.6%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | El Salvador | Syria |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | $2.13 | — |
| Minimum wage /mo | $408.80 | £S1,850 $16.46 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | $500 /mo | £S13,500 /mo $120.13 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | $435 /mo | £S12,000 /mo $106.78 |
| Median individual income /yr | $3,600 /yr | N/A/yr |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means El Salvador is higher.
Work Week
- El Salvador
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Max 44 hrs/wk
Overtime : 2x pay
Standard workweek is 44 hours, typically spread over 6 days (8 hours/day plus 4 hours on Saturday, or 5.5 days). Overtime (beyond 44 hours/week) is paid at 2x the regular rate — one of the highest overtime premiums in the region. Work on the mandatory weekly rest day (usually Sunday) or on public holidays is also compensated at double the regular rate. Night work (7pm-6am) limited to 7 hours/day, 39 hours/week.
- Syria
-
48 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Labour Law No. 17 of 2010 set 48 hours/week as the standard. Friday is the weekly rest day. Enforcement is impossible across most of the country due to conflict. Government employees in Damascus and other major cities are the primary remaining formal workforce.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker in El Salvador earns 673% less per hour in USD terms than one in Syria. Standard work weeks differ: El Salvador mandates 44 hours while Syria mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in El Salvador are $94 vs $790 in Syria.
See this comparison from Syria's perspective: Syria vs El Salvador
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in El Salvador or Syria?
In El Salvador, the minimum wage is $2.13/hr. In Syria, it is £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD). Syria has the higher rate by 673% 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 El Salvador may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much more does the average worker earn in El Salvador compared to Syria?
The average gross salary in El Salvador is $500/mo, compared to £S13,500/mo ($120.13 USD) in Syria. In USD terms, workers in El Salvador earn approximately 316% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between El Salvador and Syria is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in El Salvador earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Syria.
How do work hours compare between El Salvador and Syria?
Syria has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in El Salvador. Workers in El Salvador work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in El Salvador 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.
What is the cost of living difference between El Salvador and Syria?
While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. El Salvador has the higher GDP per capita at $13,264, which is 2.8x that of Syria at $4,772. From El Salvador's perspective, this means goods and services are priced at a higher economic level. A higher GDP per capita generally correlates with higher wages, higher consumer prices, and greater availability of goods and services. Workers moving between these two countries should expect significant differences in rent, food, and transportation costs.