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Key Facts: Kosovo vs Syria Wages

Kosovo Minimum Wage
€1.57/hr ($1.83 USD)
Syria Minimum Wage
£S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD)
Kosovo Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
€650 /mo ($756.96 USD)
Syria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
£S13,500 /mo ($120.13 USD)
Data Sources
Kosovo Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers / Kosovo Labour Law No. 03/L-212 (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Syria Report economic analyses (2026-02-25)

Kosovo flag Kosovo Syria flag Syria

Updated 2026-02-25

Kosovo flag Kosovo

Minimum Wage

€1.57 /hr

$1.83 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€650 /mo

Syria flag Syria

Minimum Wage

£S1,850 /mo

$16.46 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

£S13,500 /mo

Min wage: -89% Kosovo vs Syria Avg. salary: +530% Kosovo vs Syria

The minimum wage in Kosovo is roughly 9 times lower than in Syria in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a low-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $757/mo in Kosovo versus $120/mo in Syria, a 6.3:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Kosovo is 3.7x that of Syria, underscoring the structural economic divide.

Kosovo has higher GDP per capita ($17,864 vs $4,772).

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Kosovo and Syria
Metric Kosovo Syria
Minimum wage /hr €1.57 $1.83
Minimum wage /mo €264 $307.44 £S1,850 $16.46
Minimum wage /yr €3,168 $3,689.30
Avg. gross salary /mo €650 /mo $756.96 £S13,500 /mo $120.13
Avg. net salary /mo €580 /mo $675.44 £S12,000 /mo $106.78
Median individual income /yr €3,600 /yr $4,192.38 N/A/yr

Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Kosovo is higher.

Work Week

Kosovo

40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.3x pay

Labour Law No. 03/L-212 sets the standard working week at 40 hours (8 hrs/day, 5 days). Maximum including overtime is 48 hours/week (overtime limit: 8 hrs/week, 40 hrs/month, 240 hrs/year). Overtime is compensated at 130% of regular pay. Night work (22:00–06:00) carries a 26% premium. Weekend work is compensated at 150%. Workers are entitled to 18 days of paid annual leave (minimum); employees with disabilities and younger workers get more.

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 Kosovo earns 800% less per hour in USD terms than one in Syria. Standard work weeks differ: Kosovo mandates 40 hours while Syria mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Kosovo are $73 vs $790 in Syria.

See this comparison from Syria's perspective: Syria vs Kosovo

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Kosovo or Syria?

In Kosovo, the minimum wage is €1.57/hr ($1.83 USD). In Syria, it is £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD). Syria has the higher rate by 800% 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 Kosovo may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

How much more does the average worker earn in Kosovo compared to Syria?

The average gross salary in Kosovo is €650/mo ($756.96 USD), compared to £S13,500/mo ($120.13 USD) in Syria. In USD terms, workers in Kosovo earn approximately 530% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Kosovo and Syria is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Kosovo earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Syria.

How do work hours compare between Kosovo and Syria?

Syria has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in Kosovo. Workers in Kosovo work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Kosovo 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 Kosovo and Syria?

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Kosovo has the higher GDP per capita at $17,864, which is 3.7x that of Syria at $4,772. From Kosovo'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.