Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-qardahah and Damascus Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-qardahah and Damascus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $640 per month in Al-qardahah vs $875 in Damascus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,016 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,389 in Damascus, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,393 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,903 in Damascus, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 27% cheaper than Damascus, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Al-qardahah and Damascus are more affordable than the global median – Al-qardahah 53% lower, Damascus 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 SYP 1,194

$10.14 SYP 1,232

-3.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 SYP 5,460

$44.44 SYP 5,400

1.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 SYP 833

$6.88 SYP 836

-0.29%

Cappuccino

$3.79 SYP 460

$3.79 SYP 461

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 SYP 278

$2.20 SYP 267

4.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 SYP 106

$0.86 SYP 105

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SYP 233

$1.87 SYP 227

2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 SYP 372

$2.97 SYP 360

3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 SYP 133

$1.04 SYP 127

4.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 SYP 51.0

$0.41 SYP 49.82

2.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 SYP 200

Eggs

$1.57 SYP 191

$1.62 SYP 197

-3.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 SYP 471

$3.82 SYP 464

1.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 SYP 691

$5.56 SYP 675

2.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 SYP 1,647

$13.82 SYP 1,679

-1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.06 SYP 129

-3.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 172

$1.37 SYP 167

2.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 SYP 132

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$1.06 SYP 128

-2.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 SYP 91.6

$0.80 SYP 97.6

-6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 96.2

$0.75 SYP 91.5

5.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 48.87

$0.41 SYP 49.63

-2.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$0.62 SYP 75.3

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 SYP 343

$2.75 SYP 334

2.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 SYP 737

$6.09 SYP 740

-0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SYP 134

$1.11 SYP 135

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SYP 354

$2.83 SYP 344

2.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 SYP 25.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.17 SYP 1,236

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.03 SYP 125

-0.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 SYP 187

$1.50 SYP 183

2.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 SYP 953

$7.80 SYP 948

0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.67 SYP 446

$3.79 SYP 461

-3.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$14.8K SYP 1.8M

$14.7K SYP 1.8M

0.55%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

$19.1K SYP 2.3M

-0.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$137 SYP 16.7K

$141 SYP 17.1K

-2.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.45 SYP 1,148

$9.65 SYP 1,172

-2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.65 SYP 5,547

$45.34 SYP 5,509

0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.63 SYP 3,357

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 SYP 1,024

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 SYP 656

$5.65 SYP 687

-4.42%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$66.7 SYP 8,108

$66.5 SYP 8,073

0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,806 SYP 219.5K

$1,755 SYP 213.2K

2.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.38 SYP 3,449

$28.44 SYP 3,456

-0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 SYP 4,873

$40.56 SYP 4,927

-1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 SYP 7,288

$60.6 SYP 7,360

-0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 SYP 7,032

$58.1 SYP 7,063

-0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 SYP 64.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 SYP 22.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 SYP 101.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 SYP 53.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,748 SYP 212.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$609 SYP 74.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$72.0 SYP 8,752

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Al-qardahah: September 12, 2026

Last update for Damascus: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Al-qardahah versus $44.00 in Damascus. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Al-qardahah vs $168 in Damascus – so Al-qardahah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Al-qardahah vs Damascus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Damascus is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $960 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,313 in Damascus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Al-qardahah and $44.00 in Damascus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Damascus – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-qardahah, where all-in costs run around $640, than in Damascus at $875. In Al-qardahah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Damascus it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-qardahah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Al-qardahah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Damascus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.