At least one quarter of the population lives in extreme poverty (below USD 2.15/day), while 67 % live below the lower middle-income poverty line of USD 3.65 per day.980 Syria’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labour stated that around 80 % of Syrians live below the poverty line, with rising living costs outpacing incomes and limiting access to adequate nutrition.981
As of February 2026, the cost of living continued to outpace income growth, with wages covering only about one-third of basic household needs.982 Authorities introduced major wage increases for public-sector workers, a 200 % rise in June 2025 followed by a further 50 % in March 2026, raising the minimum wage by over 400 % overall to SYP 1 256 000 (about EUR 97). Despite their scale, the measures had limited impact: wages remain insufficient to meet basic needs and have been quickly eroded by inflation. Most Syrians, particularly those outside the public sector, saw no benefit from these wage increases.983 Syria’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labour stated that despite a wage increase of 100 %, salaries range between USD 200 and 300 while the average rent in Damascus is around USD 1 000.984
In February 2026, average monthly wages varied significantly across sectors, reaching around SYP 1.13 million (around USD 102) for entry-level public sector employees, SYP 1.32 million (around USD 120) in the private sector, and SYP 3.1 million (around USD 280) in the civil sector, though all were deemed insufficient to meet living costs.985
The adequate standard of living Index compiled by the IOM986 in April 2026 across all 14 governorates, recorded an average score of 3.2 out of 5. This score, classified as ‘partially conducive’, reflected the limited availability of electricity, safe drinking water and waste management services, as well as insufficient access to education services.987 Damascus governorate recorded the strongest availability of services (4.0 out of 5), including 9 hours/day of public electricity available during the previous month, the second highest average after Tartous (13 hours/day).988
- 980
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (April 2026), 2 April 2026, url, p. 11
- 981
New Arab (The), 80% of Syrians still suffering food insecurity, despite conflict dying down, 6 April 2026, url
- 982
WFP, Syria Country Brief, March 2026, 26 March 2026, url, p. 1
- 983
Haid, H., One year of new Syrian rule: progress and challenges, Al Majalla, 10 April 2026, url
- 984
New Arab (The), 80% of Syrians still suffering food insecurity, despite conflict dying down, 6 April 2026, url
- 985
SCPR, Monthly Bulletin for Consumer Price Index and Inflation in Syria - February 2026, url, p. 3
- 986
The assessment is based on ‘ data collected between 1 January and 4 February 2026, through a network of 409 field enumerators and 11,343 key informants (KIs) across 3,686 locations in all 14 governorates in Syria’. IOM, Syrian Arab Republic — Communities of Return Index — Round 4 (1 January - 4 February 2026), 3 April 2026, url, p. 20
- 987
IOM, Syrian Arab Republic — Communities of Return Index — Round 4 (1 January - 4 February 2026), 3 April 2026, url, p. 21
- 988
IOM, Syrian Arab Republic — Communities of Return Index — Round 4 (1 January - 4 February 2026), 3 April 2026, url, pp. 9-10