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Key Facts: Syria vs Palestine Wages

Syria Minimum Wage
£S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD)
Palestine Minimum Wage
₪1,880/mo ($667.73 USD)
Syria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
£S13,500 /mo ($120.13 USD)
Palestine Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
₪3,200 /mo ($1,136.57 USD)
Data Sources
ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Syria Report economic analyses (2026-02-25), Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) / ILO (2026-02-25)

Syria flag Syria Palestine flag Palestine

Updated 2026-02-25

Syria flag Syria

Minimum Wage

£S1,850 /mo

$16.46 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

£S13,500 /mo

Palestine flag Palestine

Minimum Wage

₪1,880 /mo

$667.73 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

₪3,200 /mo

Min wage: -98% Syria vs Palestine Avg. salary: -89% Syria vs Palestine

The minimum wage in Syria is roughly 41 times lower than in Palestine in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a low-income and a lower-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $120/mo in Syria versus $1,137/mo in Palestine, a 9.5:1 ratio. Syria has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 13.6% compared to 24.4%.

From Syria's perspective: adjusting for purchasing power, Syria's minimum wage buys less than Palestine's. The PPP-adjusted hourly rate in Syria is $1 international dollars, compared to $3,186 in Palestine. Syria has higher GDP per capita ($4,772 vs $4,371). Syria's unemployment rate is 13.6% compared to Palestine's 24.4%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Syria and Palestine
Metric Syria Palestine
Minimum wage /day ₪86 $30.55
Minimum wage /mo £S1,850 $16.46 ₪1,880 $667.73
Avg. gross salary /mo £S13,500 /mo $120.13 ₪3,200 /mo $1,136.57
Avg. net salary /mo £S12,000 /mo $106.78 N/A/mo

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.

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.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/mo)

Syria Palestine Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/mo

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Syria earns 3956% less per hour in USD terms than one in Palestine. Standard work weeks differ: Syria mandates 48 hours while Palestine mandates 45 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Syria are $790 vs $30,048 in Palestine.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Syria or Palestine?

In Syria, the minimum wage is £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD). In Palestine, it is ₪1,880/mo ($667.73 USD). Palestine has the higher rate by 3956% 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 Syria 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 Palestine?

The average gross salary in Syria is £S13,500/mo ($120.13 USD), compared to ₪3,200/mo ($1,136.57 USD) in Palestine. In USD terms, workers in Syria earn approximately 846% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Syria 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 Syria.

Which country has better purchasing power for minimum wage workers, Syria or Palestine?

After adjusting for local prices using purchasing power parity (PPP), minimum wage workers in Palestine can afford more than those in Syria. The PPP-adjusted rate is $1 in Syria and $3,186 in Palestine. PPP converts wages into equivalent US dollar buying power, accounting for what a unit of currency actually buys locally. The 302615% 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 Syria and Palestine?

Syria has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 45 hours in Palestine. Workers in Syria work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Palestine 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 Palestine?

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Syria has the higher GDP per capita at $4,772, which is 1.1x that of Palestine at $4,371. From Syria'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.