Skip to main content

Key Facts: Sweden vs Palestine Wages

Sweden Minimum Wage
No statutory minimum wage
Palestine Minimum Wage
₪1,880/mo ($667.73 USD)
Sweden Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
kr40,000 /mo ($4,317.74 USD)
Palestine Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
₪3,200 /mo ($1,136.57 USD)
Data Sources
Medlingsinstitutet (Swedish National Mediation Office) (2026-02-24), Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) / ILO (2026-02-25)

Sweden flag Sweden Palestine flag Palestine

Updated 2026-02-25

Sweden flag Sweden

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

kr40,000 /mo

Palestine flag Palestine

Minimum Wage

₪1,880 /mo

$667.73 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

₪3,200 /mo

Avg. salary: +280% Sweden vs Palestine

Sweden has no statutory minimum wage, while Palestine sets a floor of $668/mo. Average gross salaries diverge further: $4,318/mo in Sweden versus $1,137/mo in Palestine, a 3.8:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Sweden is 16.4x that of Palestine, underscoring the structural economic divide.

Sweden has higher GDP per capita ($71,845 vs $4,371). Sweden's unemployment rate is 8.7% compared to Palestine's 24.4%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Sweden and Palestine
Metric Sweden Palestine
Minimum wage /day None ₪86 $30.55
Minimum wage /mo None ₪1,880 $667.73
Avg. gross salary /mo kr40,000 /mo $4,317.74 ₪3,200 /mo $1,136.57
Avg. net salary /mo kr30,000 /mo $3,238.31 N/A/mo
Median individual income /yr kr367,000 /yr $39,615.29 N/A/yr

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

Work Week

Sweden

40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Standard workweek is 40 hours (Working Hours Act / Arbetstidslagen). Maximum overtime is 48 hours over 4 weeks or 200 hours per calendar year. Overtime compensation is determined by collective agreements, not statute. Many agreements provide overtime at 150-200% of normal pay. EU Working Time Directive limits average to 48 hrs/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.

What This Means for Workers

Standard work weeks differ: Sweden mandates 40 hours while Palestine mandates 45 hours.

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

Compare Sweden with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Sweden or Palestine?

In Sweden, the minimum wage is no statutory minimum wage. In Palestine, it is ₪1,880/mo ($667.73 USD).

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

The average gross salary in Sweden is kr40,000/mo ($4,317.74 USD), compared to ₪3,200/mo ($1,136.57 USD) in Palestine. In USD terms, workers in Sweden earn approximately 280% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Sweden and Palestine is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Sweden earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Palestine.

How do work hours compare between Sweden and Palestine?

Palestine has a longer standard work week at 45 hours, compared to 40 hours in Sweden. Workers in Sweden work 40 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Sweden 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 Sweden and Palestine?

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Sweden has the higher GDP per capita at $71,845, which is 16.4x that of Palestine at $4,371. From Sweden'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.