Iraq ranks 61st globally in PPP minimum wage at $626: Report
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — Iraq ranks 61st globally out of 130 countries in monthly minimum wage adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), recording $626 per month, according to an international comparative index published by Visual Capitalist.
The ranking adjusts statutory wage baselines to account for local price levels, subsidized consumer baskets, and relative costs of living across economies, providing an accurate metric of real purchasing capacity rather than nominal dollar conversions.
Global and Regional Comparative Standings
Iraq placed in the upper-middle tier of the 130-nation survey, closely outpacing emerging and regional economies:
- Adjacent Global Peers: Iraq ($626/mo) marginally led South Africa (62nd at $620/mo) and Guyana (63rd at $619/mo).
- Regional & Major Economy Comparisons: Iraq recorded higher real purchasing capacity at the baseline wage floor than China (73rd at $544/mo) and Tunisia (77th at $513/mo).
- Global Leaders:Switzerland led the index with a PPP-adjusted minimum wage of $3,804 per month, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, while the United States ranked 25th at $1,257 per month.
- Lower-Tier Rankings: Developing economies at the base of the index included Niger (121st at $196/mo), Ghana (127th at $100/mo), and Gambia (130th at $67/mo).
Global Minimum Wage Rankings (PPP-Adjusted Monthly USD)
| Rank | Country | Monthly Minimum Wage (PPP USD) | Economic Context |
| 1 | Switzerland | $3,804 | Global highest wage floor |
| — | Germany / UK / Netherlands | Upper Tier | High productivity & social wage floors |
| 25 | United States | $1,257 | Federal baseline minimum wage ($7.25/hr) |
| 61 | Iraq | $626 | Upper-middle tier; leading regional peers |
| 62 | South Africa | $620 | Major emerging market peer |
| 63 | Guyana | $619 | Expanding energy-driven economy |
| 73 | China | $544 | Baseline regional statutory wage average |
| 77 | Tunisia | $513 | North African comparison |
| 121 | Niger | $196 | Sub-Saharan baseline |
| 127 | Ghana | $100 | Lower-tier wage floor |
| 130 | Gambia | $67 | Lowest ranking among 130 surveyed nations |
The $626 PPP valuation reflects how local price subsidies, utility price caps, and domestic living costs expand the real-term domestic purchasing capacity of Iraq’s statutory minimum wage (nominally set at 350,000 IQD per month by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs).
While nominal conversion rates place Iraq’s minimum wage near $268 USD, purchasing power adjustments demonstrate that baseline earners retain greater domestic absorption capacity than several larger industrial peers where basic living expenses and utility tariffs are considerably higher.