Key Facts: Syria vs Cuba Wages
- Syria Minimum Wage
- £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD)
- Cuba Minimum Wage
- $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD)
- Syria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £S13,500 /mo ($120.13 USD)
- Cuba Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- $MN6,649 /mo ($16.22 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Syria Report economic analyses (2026-02-25), Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) — Cuba (2026-02-25)
Syria 
Cuba
Updated 2026-02-25
The minimum wage in Syria is roughly 557 times higher than in Cuba in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $120/mo in Syria versus $16/mo in Cuba, a 7.4:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 13.6%.
Syria's unemployment rate is 13.6% compared to Cuba's 1.8%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Syria | Cuba |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /hr | — | $MN12.12 $0.03 |
| Minimum wage /mo | £S1,850 $16.46 | $MN2,100 $5.12 |
| Minimum wage /yr | — | $MN25,200 $61.46 |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £S13,500 /mo $120.13 | $MN6,649 /mo $16.22 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | £S12,000 /mo $106.78 | $MN6,300 /mo $15.37 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | $MN48,000 /yr $117.07 |
Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Syria is higher.
Work Week
- 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.
- Cuba
-
44 hrs/wk standard
Max 44 hrs/wk
Overtime : 1.25x pay
Labour Code sets standard working hours at 8 hours/day and 44 hours/week. Overtime is paid at 125% of normal rate. Some sectors work 40 hours/week.
What This Means for Workers
A minimum wage worker moving from Cuba to Syria would see a 55588% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Syria mandates 48 hours while Cuba mandates 44 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Syria are $790 vs $1 in Cuba.
See this comparison from Cuba's perspective: Cuba vs Syria
Compare Syria with...
Syria vs United States $ 7.25 /hr 
Syria vs China ¥ 25 /hr 
Syria vs Germany € 13.9 /hr 
Syria vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr 
Syria vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo 
Syria vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr 
Syria vs France € 12.02 /hr 
Syria vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr 
Syria vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr 
Syria vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr 
Syria vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr 
Syria vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr 
Syria vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo 
Syria vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr 
Syria vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr 
Syria vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr 
Syria vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr 
Syria vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr 
Syria vs Switzerland 
Syria vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr 
Syria vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo 
Syria vs Sweden 
Syria vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr 
Syria vs Singapore Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Syria or Cuba?
In Syria, the minimum wage is £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD). In Cuba, it is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). Syria has the higher rate by 55588% 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 Cuba may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.
How much more does the average worker earn in Syria compared to Cuba?
The average gross salary in Syria is £S13,500/mo ($120.13 USD), compared to $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD) in Cuba. In USD terms, workers in Syria earn approximately 641% more. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Syria and Cuba 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 Cuba.
How do work hours compare between Syria and Cuba?
Syria has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in Cuba. Workers in Syria work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Cuba 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.