Pope Leo Xiv’s Salary Revealed — Here’s What The New Pontiff Will Earn
Does the Pope Receive a Salary?
Although the Pope is one of the world’s most recognizable leaders and heads a sovereign state, he does not receive a traditional salary. Instead, the Vatican covers all his needs—housing, food, transport, medical care, and security.
Pope Francis, who led from 2013 to 2025, chose not to take a personal income, following the example of his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi. While the Pope is technically entitled to a modest salary (around €2,500/month), Francis opted for a simple lifestyle and stayed in the modest Domus Sanctae Marthae rather than the luxurious Apostolic Palace.
Though not paid, the Pope has access to official residences, vehicles, and funds for charity—like the €200,000 Pope Francis donated to inmates. However, these resources are for papal duties, not personal wealth. Francis’s estimated net worth, tied to papal assets and services, is around £12 million.
The Vatican’s finances come from donations, investments, tourism, and collections like Peter’s Pence, which raises about £20 million yearly. Despite this, the Vatican faces financial challenges, including a £70 million deficit in 2023.
In response, Francis cut cardinals’ salaries by 10% in 2021. Cardinals previously earned €4,000–€5,500 per month; bishops earn about €3,000, and priests about €1,200. Monks and nuns usually do not receive salaries unless working in church roles.
Francis also ended the tradition of providing senior clergy with subsidized Vatican housing, reinforcing his commitment to simplicity and transparency.
