Key Facts: Palestine vs Hong Kong Wages
- Palestine Minimum Wage
- ₪1,880/mo ($667.73 USD)
- Hong Kong Minimum Wage
- HK$42.10/hr ($5.37 USD)
- Palestine Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- ₪3,200 /mo ($1,136.57 USD)
- Hong Kong Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- HK$20,500 /mo ($2,615.76 USD)
- Data Sources
- Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) / ILO (2026-02-25), Minimum Wage Commission / Census and Statistics Department, HKSAR; current rate verified via Wikipedia List of countries by minimum wage (eff 2025-05-01) (2026-05-04)
Palestine
Hong Kong
Updated 2026-05-04
The minimum wage in Palestine is roughly 124 times higher than in Hong Kong in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a lower-middle-income and a high-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $1,137/mo in Palestine versus $2,616/mo in Hong Kong, a 2.3:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Hong Kong is 17.2x that of Palestine, underscoring the structural economic divide.
Palestine has lower GDP per capita ($4,371 vs $75,196). Palestine's unemployment rate is 24.4% compared to Hong Kong's 2.8%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Palestine | Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | HK$42.10 $5.37 |
| Minimum wage /day | ₪86 $30.55 | — |
| Minimum wage /mo | ₪1,880 $667.73 | HK$7,297 $931.08 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | HK$87,568 $11,173.52 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | ₪3,200 /mo $1,136.57 | HK$20,500 /mo $2,615.76 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | N/A/mo | HK$19,475 /mo $2,484.98 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | HK$246,000 /yr $31,389.16 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Palestine is higher.
Work Week
- Palestine
-
45 hrs/wk standard
Max 54 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.25x pay
Palestinian Labour Law sets 45 hours/week maximum ordinary time (8 hours/day, 6 days). Overtime payable at 1.25x. Friday is the weekly rest day. Workers employed in Israel work under Israeli labour law (which has different provisions). The conflict beginning October 2023 has fundamentally disrupted normal labour conditions across the territory.
- Hong Kong
-
hrs/wk standard
Hong Kong has NO statutory standard working hours or maximum working hours for most employees (a rare situation globally). The government has considered legislation but has not enacted a standard hours law. Working hours are determined by individual employment contracts. Average actual working hours are ~40-44 hrs/week. Overtime pay is not legally mandated except for certain specific occupations.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Hong Kong to Palestine would see a 12330% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings.
See this comparison from Hong Kong's perspective: Hong Kong vs Palestine
Compare Palestine with...
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Palestine or Hong Kong?
In Palestine, the minimum wage is ₪1,880/mo ($667.73 USD). In Hong Kong, it is HK$42.10/hr ($5.37 USD). Palestine has the higher rate by 12330% 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 Hong Kong may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much less does the average worker earn in Palestine compared to Hong Kong?
The average gross salary in Palestine is ₪3,200/mo ($1,136.57 USD), compared to HK$20,500/mo ($2,615.76 USD) in Hong Kong. In USD terms, workers in Palestine earn approximately 130% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Palestine and Hong Kong is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Hong Kong earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Palestine.
What is the cost of living difference between Palestine and Hong Kong?
While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Hong Kong has the higher GDP per capita at $75,196, which is 17.2x that of Palestine at $4,371. From Palestine's perspective, this means goods and services are priced at a lower 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.