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Key Facts: Sri Lanka vs Palestine Wages

Sri Lanka Minimum Wage
Rs135/hr ($0.45 USD)
Palestine Minimum Wage
₪1,880/mo ($667.73 USD)
Sri Lanka Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
Rs55,000 /mo ($183.95 USD)
Palestine Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
₪3,200 /mo ($1,136.57 USD)
Data Sources
Department of Labour — Sri Lanka; 2025 figure verified via Wikipedia List of countries by minimum wage (eff 2025-04-01) (2026-05-04), Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) / ILO (2026-02-25)

Sri Lanka flag Sri Lanka Palestine flag Palestine

Updated 2026-05-04

Sri Lanka flag Sri Lanka

Minimum Wage

Rs135 /hr

$0.45 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

Rs55,000 /mo

Palestine flag Palestine

Minimum Wage

₪1,880 /mo

$667.73 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

₪3,200 /mo

Min wage: -100% Sri Lanka vs Palestine Avg. salary: -84% Sri Lanka vs Palestine

The minimum wage in Sri Lanka is roughly 1479 times lower than in Palestine in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a lower-middle-income and a lower-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $184/mo in Sri Lanka versus $1,137/mo in Palestine, a 6.2:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Sri Lanka is 3.6x that of Palestine, underscoring the structural economic divide.

Sri Lanka has higher GDP per capita ($15,633 vs $4,371). Sri Lanka's unemployment rate is 4.0% compared to Palestine's 24.4%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Sri Lanka and Palestine
Metric Sri Lanka Palestine
Minimum wage /hr Rs135 $0.45
Minimum wage /day Rs1,080 $3.61 ₪86 $30.55
Minimum wage /mo Rs27,000 $90.30 ₪1,880 $667.73
Minimum wage /yr Rs324,000 $1,083.61
Avg. gross salary /mo Rs55,000 /mo $183.95 ₪3,200 /mo $1,136.57
Avg. net salary /mo Rs49,500 /mo $165.55 N/A/mo
Median individual income /yr Rs420,000 /yr $1,404.68 N/A/yr

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

Work Week

Sri Lanka

45 hrs/wk standard

Max 45 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Shop and Office Employees Act limits hours to 8 per day and 45 per week for commercial establishments. Factories Ordinance limits factory workers to similar hours. Overtime is paid at 1.5x the ordinary rate. Different rules apply to plantation workers and domestic workers. Public holidays: approximately 25 per year (Sri Lanka has one of the highest numbers of public holidays globally).

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.

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Sri Lanka earns 147790% less per hour in USD terms than one in Palestine.

See this comparison from Palestine's perspective: Palestine vs Sri Lanka

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Sri Lanka or Palestine?

In Sri Lanka, the minimum wage is Rs135/hr ($0.45 USD). In Palestine, it is ₪1,880/mo ($667.73 USD). Palestine has the higher rate by 147790% 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 Sri Lanka may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

How much less does the average worker earn in Sri Lanka compared to Palestine?

The average gross salary in Sri Lanka is Rs55,000/mo ($183.95 USD), compared to ₪3,200/mo ($1,136.57 USD) in Palestine. In USD terms, workers in Sri Lanka earn approximately 518% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Sri Lanka and Palestine 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 Sri Lanka.

How do work hours compare between Sri Lanka and Palestine?

Both Sri Lanka and Palestine mandate a similar standard work week of 45 hours. When work hours are equal, the country with the higher minimum wage delivers proportionally higher weekly earnings. Standard work week rules set the baseline; actual hours worked often differ based on industry norms and individual employment contracts.

What is the cost of living difference between Sri Lanka and Palestine?

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Sri Lanka has the higher GDP per capita at $15,633, which is 3.6x that of Palestine at $4,371. From Sri Lanka'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.