Salaries in Syria in 2026: What They Are Worth in Dollars
A 50% public-sector raise, a minimum wage of 12,560 new pounds, and why a larger number on the payslip is not the same as more purchasing power.
Last reviewed: 6 September 2026
What changed in 2026
President Ahmad al-Sharaa issued Decree No. 67 of 2026, adding 50% to salaries and fixed wages for employees of ministries, public institutions, public-sector companies, administrative units, and mixed-sector entities in which the state holds at least half the capital. It also covers temporary, seasonal and contracted staff.
The decree took effect on 1 May 2026. Civil and military employees covered by Law 53 of 2021 are excluded, as are workers who had already received earlier sector-specific increases.
The same measure set the general minimum wage at 12,560 new Syrian pounds per month, also effective 1 May 2026.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Decree | No. 67 of 2026 |
| Increase | +50% on salaries and fixed wages |
| Effective | 1 May 2026 |
| General minimum wage | 12,560 new SYP per month |
| Same figure in old pounds | 1,256,000 old SYP |
| Approximate dollar value | About $95 per month at a market rate near 131.75 |
The dollar equivalent is computed at the parallel market rate of early September 2026 and moves with it. At the official rate the same amount converts differently — see our guide to rate types.
Read the figure in the right unit
Since 1 January 2026 salaries are quoted in new Syrian pounds. A minimum wage of 12,560 new pounds is 1,256,000 in the old notation, and articles written before the redenomination — or foreign coverage still using old pounds — will show the larger number.
This matters when comparing across time. A pre-2026 salary figure cannot be set beside a 2026 one without dividing the older figure by 100 first, and a great deal of confused commentary about Syrian wages comes from skipping that step.
Why +50% does not mean 50% better off
A percentage raise describes the payslip, not the shopping basket. Whether it improves anything depends on what prices did over the same period, and on what happened to the currency the country imports in.
This is the substance of the criticism the increase drew: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights framed it as higher numbers and lower purchasing power. When wages rise in pounds while goods are priced against a dollar that the pound has been losing ground to, the arithmetic on the payslip and the arithmetic at the till diverge.
It is a real increase in nominal terms and a genuine policy step. It is simply not the same claim as a real increase in what a salary buys, and the two get conflated constantly.
Convert the salary to dollars at the market rate on the date it was paid, and compare those figures across time. It is not a perfect measure — imported and local goods behave differently — but it strips out the pound's own movement, which is what makes raw pound comparisons misleading.
Why so many Syrians think in dollars
Rents, cars, electronics, and a large share of wholesale trade are quoted in dollars, and have been for years. This is not a preference for a foreign currency so much as a response to a unit of account that kept moving.
The effect is that many households earn in one currency and price their largest expenses in another. A pound salary against a dollar rent means the exchange rate is not an abstraction — it changes the rent in real terms every month, without the landlord changing the number.
It is also why the market rate, rather than the official rate, is the one most people actually track. The official bulletin governs formal transactions; the market rate governs what the month costs.
Converting a salary accurately
- Use the rate for the date the salary was paid, not today's rate, when comparing across months.
- Use the market rate for cost-of-living questions and the official rate for formal transactions — they answer different questions.
- Confirm the figure is in new pounds. If it is in the hundreds of thousands or millions, it is old pounds; divide by 100.
- Treat any single month as a snapshot. Both wages and the exchange rate have moved substantially and may again.
Wage decrees, prices and the exchange rate all change. Every figure here is anchored to a stated date and source so you can tell how old it is — check the decree text and a live rate before relying on any of it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Syria in 2026?
The general minimum wage was set at 12,560 new Syrian pounds per month, effective 1 May 2026 — about $95 at a market rate near 131.75, and equivalent to 1,256,000 old pounds.
How much did public-sector salaries rise?
Decree No. 67 of 2026 added 50% to salaries and fixed wages for public and mixed-sector employees, effective 1 May 2026. Civil and military staff under Law 53 of 2021 were excluded, as were those who had received earlier sector-specific increases.
Is a Syrian salary worth more after the increase?
In pounds, yes. In purchasing power, that depends on prices and the exchange rate over the same period — the increase was criticised on precisely that basis, as higher numbers against lower purchasing power.
How do I convert a Syrian salary to dollars?
Divide the monthly figure in new pounds by the dollar rate. Use the market rate for cost-of-living comparisons, and the rate from the date the salary was paid when comparing across months.
Why do I see Syrian salaries quoted in millions?
Those are old pounds, from before the January 2026 redenomination. Divide by 100 to express them in new pounds.
Why are rents in Syria priced in dollars?
Because larger and longer-term commitments moved to a more stable unit of account during years when the pound was losing value quickly. It means many households earn in pounds while their biggest expenses track the dollar.
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SYPNow publishes exchange-rate information for reference only. It is not a bank, exchange house or money-transfer service, and nothing on this page is financial, legal or tax advice. Verify any figure with an official or licensed source before acting on it.