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Key Facts: Syria vs Singapore Wages

Syria Minimum Wage
£S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD)
Singapore Minimum Wage
No statutory minimum wage
Syria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
£S13,500 /mo ($120.13 USD)
Singapore Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
S$5,800 /mo ($4,539.05 USD)
Data Sources
ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Syria Report economic analyses (2026-02-25), Ministry of Manpower (MOM) (2026-06-01)

Syria flag Syria Singapore flag Singapore

Updated 2026-06-01

Syria flag Syria

Minimum Wage

£S1,850 /mo

$16.46 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

£S13,500 /mo

Singapore flag Singapore

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

S$5,800 /mo

Avg. salary: -97% Syria vs Singapore

Unlike Singapore, which has no statutory minimum wage, Syria mandates a wage floor of $16/mo. Average gross salaries diverge further: $120/mo in Syria versus $4,539/mo in Singapore, a 37.8:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Singapore is 31.6x that of Syria, underscoring the structural economic divide.

Syria has lower GDP per capita ($4,772 vs $150,689). Syria's unemployment rate is 13.6% compared to Singapore's 2.8%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Syria and Singapore
Metric Syria Singapore
Minimum wage /mo £S1,850 $16.46 None
Avg. gross salary /mo £S13,500 /mo $120.13 S$5,800 /mo $4,539.05
Avg. net salary /mo £S12,000 /mo $106.78 S$4,930 /mo $3,858.19
Median individual income /yr N/A/yr S$66,000 /yr $51,651.28

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.

Singapore

44 hrs/wk standard

Max 44 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Employment Act caps at 44 hours/week (8 hrs/day for 5-day week, or 9 hrs/day for fewer days). Overtime pay at 1.5x hourly basic rate, applies to non-workmen earning up to SGD 2,600/mo and workmen earning up to SGD 4,500/mo. Maximum overtime: 72 hours/month.

What This Means for Workers

Standard work weeks differ: Syria mandates 48 hours while Singapore mandates 44 hours.

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

Compare Syria with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Syria or Singapore?

In Syria, the minimum wage is £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD). In Singapore, it is no statutory minimum wage.

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

The average gross salary in Syria is £S13,500/mo ($120.13 USD), compared to S$5,800/mo ($4,539.05 USD) in Singapore. In USD terms, workers in Syria earn approximately 3679% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Syria and Singapore is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Singapore 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 Singapore?

Syria has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in Singapore. Workers in Syria work 48 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Singapore 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 Singapore?

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Singapore has the higher GDP per capita at $150,689, which is 31.6x 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.