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Key Facts: Syria vs France Wages

Syria Minimum Wage
£S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD)
France Minimum Wage
€12.02/hr ($14.00 USD)
Syria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
£S13,500 /mo ($120.13 USD)
France Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
€3,500 /mo ($4,075.93 USD)
Data Sources
ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Syria Report economic analyses (2026-02-25), French Ministry of Labour (2026-03-02)

Syria flag Syria France flag France

Updated 2026-03-02

Syria flag Syria

Minimum Wage

£S1,850 /mo

$16.46 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

£S13,500 /mo

France flag France

Minimum Wage

€12.02 /hr

$14.00 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€3,500 /mo

Min wage: +18% Syria vs France Avg. salary: -97% Syria vs France

Syria, a low-income economy, and France, classified as high-income, take different approaches to wage policy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $120/mo in Syria versus $4,076/mo in France, a 33.9:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in France is 13.1x that of Syria, underscoring the structural economic divide.

Syria has lower GDP per capita ($4,772 vs $62,557). Syria's unemployment rate is 13.6% compared to France's 7.5%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Syria and France
Metric Syria France
Minimum wage /hr €12.02 $14.00
Minimum wage /mo £S1,850 $16.46 €1,823.03 $2,123.01
Minimum wage /yr €21,876.36 $25,476.14
Avg. gross salary /mo £S13,500 /mo $120.13 €3,500 /mo $4,075.93
Avg. net salary /mo £S12,000 /mo $106.78 €2,700 /mo $3,144.29
Median individual income /yr N/A/yr €24,000 /yr $27,949.23

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.

France

35 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.25x pay

Legal workweek is 35 hours. Overtime: 25% premium for hours 36-43, 50% premium beyond 43 hours. Annual maximum 220 overtime hours unless collective agreement states otherwise.

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker moving from France to Syria would see a 18% increase in USD-equivalent hourly earnings. Standard work weeks differ: Syria mandates 48 hours while France mandates 35 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Syria are $790 vs $490 in France.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Syria or France?

In Syria, the minimum wage is £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD). In France, it is €12.02/hr ($14.00 USD). Syria has the higher rate by 18% 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 France may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

How much less does the average worker earn in Syria compared to France?

The average gross salary in Syria is £S13,500/mo ($120.13 USD), compared to €3,500/mo ($4,075.93 USD) in France. In USD terms, workers in Syria earn approximately 3293% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Syria and France is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in France earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Syria.

How do work hours compare between Syria and France?

Syria has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 35 hours in France. Workers in Syria work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in France 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 Syria and France?

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. France has the higher GDP per capita at $62,557, which is 13.1x that of Syria at $4,772. From Syria'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.