Key Facts: South Sudan vs Syria Wages
- South Sudan Minimum Wage
- £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD)
- Syria Minimum Wage
- £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD)
- South Sudan Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £125,000 /mo ($27.23 USD)
- Syria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £S13,500 /mo ($120.13 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / South Sudan Ministry of Labour (2026-02-25), ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Syria Report economic analyses (2026-02-25)
South Sudan
Syria
Updated 2026-02-25
The minimum wage in South Sudan is roughly 11 times lower than in Syria in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a low-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $27/mo in South Sudan versus $120/mo in Syria, a 4.4:1 ratio.
From South Sudan's perspective: adjusting for purchasing power, South Sudan's minimum wage buys more than Syria's. The PPP-adjusted hourly rate in South Sudan is $55 international dollars, compared to $1 in Syria. South Sudan's unemployment rate is 12.4% compared to Syria's 13.6%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | South Sudan | Syria |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | £7,000 $1.52 | £S1,850 $16.46 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £125,000 /mo $27.23 | £S13,500 /mo $120.13 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | £112,000 /mo $24.40 | £S12,000 /mo $106.78 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means South Sudan is higher.
Work Week
- South Sudan
-
40 hrs/wk standard
Max 48 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.5x pay
Labour Act 2017 sets 40 hours/week as standard. Enforcement is effectively non-existent across most of the country due to ongoing conflict, institutional collapse, and absence of functioning labour inspectorates.
- 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)
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker in South Sudan earns 980% less per hour in USD terms than one in Syria. However, after adjusting for cost of living, South Sudan's minimum wage provides more purchasing power. Standard work weeks differ: South Sudan mandates 40 hours while Syria mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in South Sudan are $61 vs $790 in Syria.
See this comparison from Syria's perspective: Syria vs South Sudan
Compare South Sudan with...
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in South Sudan or Syria?
In South Sudan, the minimum wage is £7,000/mo ($1.52 USD). In Syria, it is £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD). Syria has the higher rate by 980% 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 South Sudan may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much less does the average worker earn in South Sudan compared to Syria?
The average gross salary in South Sudan is £125,000/mo ($27.23 USD), compared to £S13,500/mo ($120.13 USD) in Syria. In USD terms, workers in South Sudan earn approximately 341% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between South Sudan and Syria is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Syria earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in South Sudan.
Which country has better purchasing power for minimum wage workers, South Sudan or Syria?
After adjusting for local prices using purchasing power parity (PPP), minimum wage workers in South Sudan can afford more than those in Syria. The PPP-adjusted rate is $55 in South Sudan and $1 in Syria. PPP converts wages into equivalent US dollar buying power, accounting for what a unit of currency actually buys locally. The 5147% 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 South Sudan and Syria?
Syria has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in South Sudan. Workers in South Sudan work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in South Sudan 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.