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Key Facts: Namibia vs Syria Wages

Namibia Minimum Wage
N$18/hr ($1.13 USD)
Syria Minimum Wage
£S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD)
Namibia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
N$13,500 /mo ($845.34 USD)
Syria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
£S13,500 /mo ($120.13 USD)
Data Sources
Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation / Wage Order 2024 (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Syria Report economic analyses (2026-02-25)

Namibia flag Namibia Syria flag Syria

Updated 2026-02-25

Namibia flag Namibia

Minimum Wage

N$18 /hr

$1.13 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

N$13,500 /mo

Syria flag Syria

Minimum Wage

£S1,850 /mo

$16.46 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

£S13,500 /mo

Min wage: -93% Namibia vs Syria Avg. salary: +604% Namibia vs Syria

The minimum wage in Namibia is roughly 15 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: $845/mo in Namibia versus $120/mo in Syria, a 7.0:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Namibia is 2.4x that of Syria, underscoring the structural economic divide.

Namibia has higher GDP per capita ($11,687 vs $4,772). Namibia's unemployment rate is 19.3% compared to Syria's 13.6%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Namibia and Syria
Metric Namibia Syria
Minimum wage /hr N$18 $1.13
Minimum wage /mo N$3,510 $219.79 £S1,850 $16.46
Minimum wage /yr N$42,120 $2,637.45
Avg. gross salary /mo N$13,500 /mo $845.34 £S13,500 /mo $120.13
Avg. net salary /mo N$11,000 /mo $688.79 £S12,000 /mo $106.78
Median individual income /yr N$48,000 /yr $3,005.64 N/A/yr

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

Work Week

Namibia

45 hrs/wk standard

Max 45 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Act sets maximum ordinary hours at 45 per week (9 hrs/day for 5-day week, 8 hrs/day for 6-day week). Overtime limited to 10 hours/week and 3 hours/day. Overtime paid at 1.5x normal rate. Rest days at 2x. Daily rest period of at least 12 consecutive hours. Weekly rest of at least 36 consecutive hours (ideally including Sunday). Annual leave: 20 working days for 5-day 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 Namibia earns 1361% less per hour in USD terms than one in Syria. Standard work weeks differ: Namibia mandates 45 hours while Syria mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Namibia are $51 vs $790 in Syria.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Namibia or Syria?

In Namibia, the minimum wage is N$18/hr ($1.13 USD). In Syria, it is £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD). Syria has the higher rate by 1361% 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 Namibia may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

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

The average gross salary in Namibia is N$13,500/mo ($845.34 USD), compared to £S13,500/mo ($120.13 USD) in Syria. In USD terms, workers in Namibia earn approximately 604% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Namibia and Syria is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Namibia earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Syria.

How do work hours compare between Namibia and Syria?

Syria has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 45 hours in Namibia. Workers in Namibia work 45 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Namibia 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 Namibia and Syria?

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Namibia has the higher GDP per capita at $11,687, which is 2.4x that of Syria at $4,772. From Namibia'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.