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Key Facts: Palestine vs Syria Wages

Palestine Minimum Wage
₪1,880/mo ($667.73 USD)
Syria Minimum Wage
£S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD)
Palestine Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
₪3,200 /mo ($1,136.57 USD)
Syria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
£S13,500 /mo ($120.13 USD)
Data Sources
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) / ILO (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Syria Report economic analyses (2026-02-25)

Palestine flag Palestine Syria flag Syria

Updated 2026-02-25

Palestine flag Palestine

Minimum Wage

₪1,880 /mo

$667.73 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

₪3,200 /mo

Syria flag Syria

Minimum Wage

£S1,850 /mo

$16.46 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

£S13,500 /mo

Min wage: +3956% Palestine vs Syria Avg. salary: +846% Palestine vs Syria

The minimum wage in Palestine is roughly 41 times higher than in Syria in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a lower-middle-income and a low-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $1,137/mo in Palestine versus $120/mo in Syria, a 9.5:1 ratio. Syria has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 13.6% compared to 24.4%.

From Palestine's perspective: adjusting for purchasing power, Palestine's minimum wage buys more than Syria's. The PPP-adjusted hourly rate in Palestine is $3,186 international dollars, compared to $1 in Syria. Palestine has lower GDP per capita ($4,371 vs $4,772). Palestine's unemployment rate is 24.4% compared to Syria's 13.6%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Palestine and Syria
Metric Palestine Syria
Minimum wage /day ₪86 $30.55
Minimum wage /mo ₪1,880 $667.73 £S1,850 $16.46
Avg. gross salary /mo ₪3,200 /mo $1,136.57 £S13,500 /mo $120.13
Avg. net salary /mo N/A/mo £S12,000 /mo $106.78

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.

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.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/mo)

Palestine Syria Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/mo

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker moving from Syria to Palestine would see a 3956% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Palestine mandates 45 hours while Syria mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Palestine are $30,048 vs $790 in Syria.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Palestine or Syria?

In Palestine, the minimum wage is ₪1,880/mo ($667.73 USD). In Syria, it is £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD). Palestine has the higher rate by 3956% 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 Syria may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

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

The average gross salary in Palestine is ₪3,200/mo ($1,136.57 USD), compared to £S13,500/mo ($120.13 USD) in Syria. In USD terms, workers in Palestine earn approximately 846% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Palestine and Syria is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Palestine earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Syria.

Which country has better purchasing power for minimum wage workers, Palestine or Syria?

After adjusting for local prices using purchasing power parity (PPP), minimum wage workers in Palestine can afford more than those in Syria. The PPP-adjusted rate is $3,186 in Palestine and $1 in Syria. PPP converts wages into equivalent US dollar buying power, accounting for what a unit of currency actually buys locally. The 302615% purchasing power gap means that even if the nominal wage in Syria appears competitive, minimum wage workers there face greater constraints on day-to-day spending.

How do work hours compare between Palestine and Syria?

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

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Syria has the higher GDP per capita at $4,772, which is 1.1x 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.