Key Facts: Syria vs Sweden Wages
- Syria Minimum Wage
- £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD)
- Sweden Minimum Wage
- No statutory minimum wage
- Syria Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- £S13,500 /mo ($120.13 USD)
- Sweden Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
- kr40,000 /mo ($4,317.74 USD)
- Data Sources
- ILO ILOSTAT / World Bank / Syria Report economic analyses (2026-02-25), Medlingsinstitutet (Swedish National Mediation Office) (2026-02-24)
Syria
Sweden
Updated 2026-02-25
Unlike Sweden, which has no statutory minimum wage, Syria mandates a wage floor of $16/mo. Average gross salaries diverge further: $120/mo in Syria versus $4,318/mo in Sweden, a 35.9:1 ratio. GDP per capita (PPP) in Sweden is 15.1x that of Syria, underscoring the structural economic divide.
Syria has lower GDP per capita ($4,772 vs $71,845). Syria's unemployment rate is 13.6% compared to Sweden's 8.7%.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Syria | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage /mo | £S1,850 $16.46 | None |
| Avg. gross salary /mo | £S13,500 /mo $120.13 | kr40,000 /mo $4,317.74 |
| Avg. net salary /mo | £S12,000 /mo $106.78 | kr30,000 /mo $3,238.31 |
| Median individual income /yr | N/A/yr | kr367,000 /yr $39,615.29 |
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.
- 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.
What This Means for Workers
Standard work weeks differ: Syria mandates 48 hours while Sweden mandates 40 hours.
See this comparison from Sweden's perspective: Sweden vs Syria
Compare Syria with...
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum wage higher in Syria or Sweden?
In Syria, the minimum wage is £S1,850/mo ($16.46 USD). In Sweden, it is no statutory minimum wage.
How much less does the average worker earn in Syria compared to Sweden?
The average gross salary in Syria is £S13,500/mo ($120.13 USD), compared to kr40,000/mo ($4,317.74 USD) in Sweden. In USD terms, workers in Syria earn approximately 3494% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Syria and Sweden 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 Syria.
How do work hours compare between Syria and Sweden?
Syria has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 40 hours in Sweden. Workers in Syria work 48 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 Syria and Sweden?
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 15.1x 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.