The Highest (And Lowest) Paid World Leaders

Does it pay to be a world leader?

No one can deny that being the head of government or head of state comes with a hefty list of responsibilities. However, in most of the world it also comes with a hefty salary.

President Joe Biden, who was elected as the 46th President of the United States on November 7, 2020, will earn a fixed salary of $400,000—just like every other President since 2001.

Yet, despite a salary that is over 4x that of the national median income, it doesn’t even place Biden in the top 10 of highest paid world leaders.

We scoured data from the International Monetary Fund and the CIA World Factbook to find where the highest paid head of states and world leaders reside. The results? It helps to have a crown.

Countries With The Highest Paid World Leaders

Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
Brunei
Kuwait
United Kingdom
Thailand
Eswatini
Monaco
Qatar
Norway

All of these countries have a world leader or head of state earning far more than the President’s annual salary of $400,000. Keep reading to see how much these well-paid leaders are pulling in– and a little more about the individual making bank. Or you can skip to the bottom to see three countries being in charge means you’re earning absolutely nothing!

1. Saudi Arabia – King Salman of Saudi Arabia

Income: $9,600,000,000
Title: King

King Salman of Saudi Arabia earns a royal allowance with a staggering number of zeroes for serving as Saudi Arabia’s head of state. The average household income of $24,980 is dwarfed by the royal’s salary.

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2. United Arab Emirates – Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Income: $4,608,273,000
Title: President

The UAE borders Saudi Arabia and is a federation made up of oil-rich countries ruled by their own hereditary monarchs. Unsurprisingly the current president of the federation, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan us extremely well-compensated.

3. Brunei – Hassanal Bolkiah

Income: $1,986,768,000
Title: Sultan

Hassanal is one of the last absolute monarchs in the world (along with eSwatini, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Vatican City, and the United Arab Emirates.) Unsurprisingly, with all of that power he has the power to give himself a staggering paycheck.

4. Kuwait – Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

Income: $165,000,000
Title: Emir

The current Emir of Kuwait has been in power since September 29th, 2020, meaning he hasn’t collected the full yearly royal allocation of $165,000,000.

5. United Kingdom – Queen Elizabeth II

Income: $122,442,508
Title: Queen

Good old Queen Bess is a hard working monarch who still does daily engagements even at 94. However with a hefty royal grant of $122,442,508, no one can argue she isn’t paid well for it.

6. Thailand – King Maha Vajiralongkorn

Income: $84,000,000
Title: King

Thailand is a beautiful, tropical country rich in history. It also has one of the richest paid monarchs in the world. Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn blends personal finances and public, making for a very lucrative living. When you consider the average Thai household only brings in $7,260 it is even more staggering.

7. eSwatini – King Mswati III

Income: $56,051,336
Title: King

King Mswati II is another absolute monarch making an absolutely huge amount of money. King Mswati is notoriously private, with little known (or allowed to be known) about his personal life or the size of his family. However, with an income that high, I suspect it could support quite a large family.

8. Monaco – Albert II, Prince of Monaco

Income: $52,063,000
Title: Prince

The tiny European country of Monaco is the second smallest country in the world, only the Vatican is smaller. While the country is roughly the size of New York’s Central Park, the paycheck is metaphorically a lot bigger. The current reigning Prince has an annual allotment of $52,063,000.

9. Qater – Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

Income: $36,000,000
Title: Emir

In 9th place for highest paid world leader is Qater Emir Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani. Qater is an extremely wealthy Gulf country and the Emir’s salary of $36,000,000 is in line with other, wealthy neighboring countries.

10. Norway – King Harald V of Norway

Income: $33,237,000
Title: King

King Harvald V of Norway is a long life of Norwegian rulers getting paid quite a bit to wear the crown. Today in the Norwegian government, the king is a largely ceremonial role. The Prime Minister and parliament do the real heavy lifting. But don’t feel too bad, the Prime Minister still earns 210,714 in US dollars annually, over double the Norwegian household income.

It’s Good (Money) To Be King

Ruling a country, even as a figurehead or person whose face goes on stamps can’t be easy. However, it seems to come with a hefty salary to ease the burdens.

However, if you’re basing career choices solely on finances, most of the time government jobs pay less than those in the private sector. While making it to the top will grant you a substantial income well beyond your country’s median income, it takes a lot of work, quite a bit of luck, and sometimes the circumstances of your birth to get there.

Odds are better of getting in to med school.

Where are world leaders paid the least?

Iran – Supreme
Liechtenstein – Prince
Vatican City – Pope
Cuba – President
Laos – President
Sao Tome and Príncipe – President
Haiti – President
Eritrea – President
Guinea-Bissau – President
Sri Lanka – President

You can a chart of how much each’s country’s head of state is pulling in, and where they are paid the least. Including 3 countries where leaders aren’t pulling in cash:

Country/Leader	Head Of State’s Income
Saudi Arabia – King	$9,600,000,000
United Arab Emirates – President	$4,608,273,000
Brunei – Sultan	$1,986,768,000
Kuwait – Emir	$165,000,000
United Kingdom – Queen	$122,442,508
Thailand – King	$84,000,000
Eswatini – King	$56,051,336
Monaco – Prince	$52,063,000
Qatar – Emir	$36,000,000
Norway – King	$33,237,000
Bahrain – King	$22,400,000
Sweden – King	$15,752,000
Belgium – King	$14,454,440
Luxembourg – Grand	$12,333,102
Denmark – Queen	$11,350,744
Oman – Sultan	$7,238,000
Netherlands – King	$6,082,736
Japan – Emperor	$3,075,316
Tonga – King	$2,129,540
Singapore – President	$1,442,000
Jordan – King	$847,457
Iraq – President	$809,673
Spain – King	$769,050
Cameroon – President	$620,976
Syria –	$576,000
Hong Kong – Chief	$568,400
Switzerland – President	$507,000
Morocco – King	$488,604
Austria – President	$410,000
Ireland – President	$401,000
United States – President	$400,000
Australia – Governor-General	$346,777
Iceland – President	$317,000
Mauritania – President	$300,000
Canada – Governor-General	$290,000
Italy – President	$275,147
Germany – President	$268,448
Malaysia – Yang	$263,500
New Zealand – Governor-General	$260,245
Azerbaijan – President	$225,000
South Africa – President	$223,500
South Korea – President	$211,320
Turkey – President	$197,400
Chile – President	$196,000
France – President	$194,300
Kenya – President	$192,200
Uganda – President	$183,216
Taiwan – President	$180,000
Guatemala – President	$178,680
Israel – President	$173,000
Algeria – President	$168,000
Greece – President	$154,739
Equatorial Guinea – President	$152,680
Lebanon – President	$150,000
Czech Republic – President	$149,517
Zimbabwe – President	$146,590
Finland – President	$141,367
Uruguay – President	$139,608
Russia – President	$136,000
Colombia – President	$134,676
Suriname – President	$133,560
Slovakia – President	$129,284
Dominican Republic – President	$120,000
Palestine – President	$120,000
Somalia – President	$120,000
Comoros – President	$117,060
Costa Rica – President	$113,520
Barbados – Governor	$110,499
Republic of Congo – President	$108,400
Libya – President	$105,000
Paraguay – President	$103,044
Brazil – President,	$102,524
Ivory Coast – President	$100,000
Namibia – President	$99,241
Portugal – President	$96,469
Philippines – President	$95,554
Mauritius – President	$93,783
Guyana – President	$91,700
Georgia – President	$90,890
Cyprus – President	$90,025
Liberia – President	$90,000
Palau – President	$90,000
Lithuania – President	$86,136
Rwanda – President	$85,000
India – President	$84,500
Panama – President	$84,000
San Marino – Both	$83,682
Samoa – Head	$82,000
Slovenia – President	$80,142
Bulgaria – President	$79,000
Maldives – President	$77,768
Ghana – President	$76,000
Ecuador – President	$75,132
Estonia – President	$74,595
Angola – President	$74,480
Nauru – President	$74,411
Malawi – President	$74,300
Hungary – President	$70,964
Malta – President	$70,955
Latvia – President	$70,718
Egypt – President	$70,400
Jamaica – Governor-General	$70,400
Poland – President	$70,026
Nigeria – President	$69,000
Mali – President	$68,900
Mexico – President	$67,903
Pakistan – President	$65,794
Botswana – President	$65,760
Argentina – President	$65,320
Gabon – President	$65,000
Gambia – President	$65,000
Zambia – President	$63,100
Fiji – President	$62,784
El Salvador – President	$62,172
Romania – President	$61,296
Marshall Islands – President	$60,000
South Sudan – President	$60,000
Peru – President	$56,530
Papua New Guinea – Governor	$56,249
Grenada – Governor	$55,014
Trinidad and Tobago – President	$54,600
Lesotho – King	$52,778
Indonesia – President	$51,600
Democratic Republic of the Congo – President	$51,500
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Governor	$51,000
Honduras – President	$49,908
Venezuela – President	$48,816
Burundi – President	$47,300
Tanzania – President	$47,300
Mozambique – President	$46,800
Ethiopia – President	$45,270
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Governor	$45,042
Croatia – President	$44,375
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Presidency	$42,650
Central African Republic – President	$42,524
Myanmar – President	$40,980
Antigua and Barbuda – Governor-General	$40,225
Bolivia – President	$39,924
Nicaragua – President	$38,316
Bahamas – Governor-General	$37,000
Saint Lucia – Governor	$36,111
Burkina Faso – President	$33,810
Dominica – President	$33,671
Belarus – President	$33,600
Montenegro – President	$33,440
Armenia – President	$32,400
Vanuatu – President	$32,295
Micronesia – President	$32,000
East Timor – President	$30,000
Benin – President	$29,810
Sudan – President	$29,320
Belize – Governor-General	$26,241
Seychelles – President	$23,700
Guinea – President	$22,390
China – Party	$22,000
Kazakhstan – President	$20,400
Cape Verde – President	$20,380
Albania – President	$19,665
Kyrgyzstan – President	$18,800
Tuvalu – Governor-General	$17,660
Nepal – President	$17,584
North Macedonia – President	$17,250
Bangladesh – President	$17,100
Tunisia – President	$16,700
Chad – President	$16,640
Solomon Islands – Governor-General	$16,640
Uzbekistan – President	$15,600
Yemen – President	$15,300
Senegal – President	$15,210
Serbia – President	$14,950
Afghanistan – President	$13,400
Tajikistan – President	$13,200
Sierra Leone – President	$12,220
Mongolia – President	$11,620
Ukraine – President	$11,600
Kiribati – President	$11,158
Turkmenistan – President	$10,800
Djibouti – President	$10,000
Moldova – President	$9,264
Vietnam – President	$8,320
Sri Lanka – President	$7,380
Guinea-Bissau – President	$6,360
Eritrea – President	$6,000
Haiti – President	$3,782
Sao Tome and PrÃncipe – President	$2,930
Laos – President	$1,630
Cuba – President	$360
Iran – Supreme	$0
Liechtenstein – Prince	$0
Vatican City – Pope	$0

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Author

Kathy Morris

Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.

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