Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aleppo and Damascus

For one person, living is cheaper in Aleppo: $678 a month against $869 in Damascus, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Aleppo
🇸🇾 Syria
$678
/mo nomad
Damascus
🇸🇾 Syria
$869
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aleppo and in Damascus

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aleppo and in Damascus actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $678 in Aleppo versus $869 in Damascus.

  • Aleppo $678
  • Damascus $869

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,080 in Aleppo versus $1,412 in Damascus.

  • Aleppo $1,080
  • Damascus $1,412

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,483 in Aleppo versus $1,954 in Damascus.

  • Aleppo $1,483
  • Damascus $1,954

Living in Aleppo costs roughly 22% less than in Damascus, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Aleppo 50% lower, Damascus 36% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aleppo
Damascus
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.97 SYP 361
$10.19 SYP 1,238
-70.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.06 SYP 2,438
$42.87 SYP 5,209
-53.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.20 SYP 389
$6.87 SYP 835
-53.42%
Cappuccino
$1.28 SYP 155
$3.75 SYP 455
-65.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 SYP 156
$2.21 SYP 269
-42.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 SYP 71.2
$0.89 SYP 108
-33.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 SYP 368
$2.05 SYP 249
47.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 SYP 162
$4.03 SYP 489
-67.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aleppo
Damascus
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 SYP 185
$1.06 SYP 128
43.40%
White Bread (500g)
$0.94 SYP 114
$0.41 SYP 50.1
129.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 SYP 205
$1.52 SYP 184
10.53%
Eggs
$3.14 SYP 382
$1.62 SYP 197
93.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.13 SYP 988
$3.96 SYP 482
105.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.42 SYP 780
$5.60 SYP 680
14.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.29 SYP 1,251
$13.69 SYP 1,664
-24.84%
Apples (1kg)
$1.24 SYP 151
$1.06 SYP 129
16.98%
Banana (1kg)
$2.42 SYP 295
$1.37 SYP 166
76.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 SYP 155
$1.15 SYP 139
11.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.85 SYP 103
$1.05 SYP 128
-19.05%
Potato (1kg)
$0.85 SYP 103
$0.79 SYP 96.2
7.59%
Onion (1kg)
$0.94 SYP 114
$0.79 SYP 96.5
18.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.29 SYP 34.69
$0.40 SYP 49.16
-27.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 SYP 99.5
$0.62 SYP 75.2
32.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.26 SYP 396
$2.81 SYP 342
16.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.85 SYP 590
$6.09 SYP 740
-20.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 SYP 247
$1.06 SYP 128
91.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 SYP 325
$2.84 SYP 345
-5.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Aleppo
Damascus
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 SYP 24.84
$0.23 SYP 28.02
-13.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$2.93 SYP 356
$9.85 SYP 1,198
-70.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.93 SYP 234
$1.02 SYP 124
89.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.97 SYP 239
$1.48 SYP 179
33.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 SYP 484
$7.72 SYP 938
-48.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 SYP 167
$3.70 SYP 450
-62.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K SYP 2.8M
$14.8K SYP 1.8M
57.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.8K SYP 2.5M
$19.5K SYP 2.4M
6.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aleppo
Damascus
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.1 SYP 9,252
$138 SYP 16.8K
-44.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.11 SYP 1,594
$9.86 SYP 1,198
32.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.10 SYP 2,443
$45.41 SYP 5,518
-55.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aleppo
Damascus
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.22 SYP 1,850
$27.67 SYP 3,363
-44.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.34 SYP 2,472
$8.68 SYP 1,055
134.33%
Cinema Ticket
$3.04 SYP 369
$5.56 SYP 675
-45.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aleppo
Damascus
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$68.3 SYP 8,304
$66.4 SYP 8,068
2.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,561 SYP 189.6K
$1,758 SYP 213.6K
-11.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aleppo
Damascus
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.2 SYP 8,414
$28.98 SYP 3,522
138.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.3 SYP 7,695
$40.38 SYP 4,907
56.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 SYP 14.0K
$59.4 SYP 7,215
93.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$148 SYP 18.0K
$59.2 SYP 7,197
150.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aleppo
Damascus
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$91.0 SYP 11.1K
$525 SYP 63.8K
-82.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$77.8 SYP 9,458
$188 SYP 22.8K
-58.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$230 SYP 28.0K
$834 SYP 101.3K
-72.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$157 SYP 19.1K
$471 SYP 57.3K
-66.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$790 SYP 96.0K
$1,700 SYP 206.6K
-53.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$296 SYP 36.0K
$607 SYP 73.8K
-51.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aleppo
Damascus
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$63.7 SYP 7,740
$72.9 SYP 8,855
-12.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
14.25
-

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

Last update for Aleppo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Damascus: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Aleppo
$202
Damascus
$168 17% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Aleppo
$178
Damascus
$85 52.5% $93
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aleppo
$109
Damascus
$194 77.1% $84
Accommodation & Living
Aleppo
$78
Damascus
$188 141% $110
Eating Out
Aleppo
$74
Damascus
$178 140% $104
Sport & Entertainment
Aleppo
$21
Damascus
$39 82.2% $18
Getting Around
Aleppo
$16
Damascus
$19 23.7% $3.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $91.0 in Aleppo and $525 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Damascus pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Aleppo vs $43.00 in Damascus. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $168, with Damascus cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇸🇾 Aleppo
🇸🇾 Damascus
🕒 Local time
14:49 2:49 PM
14:49 2:49 PM
Same time as Aleppo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,132,100
1,414,913 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SYP – Syrian Pound Converter

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 122 SYP (1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 137 SYP (1,000 SYP = 7.32 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aleppo Damascus 310 km
From you
  • Aleppo
  • Damascus

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Aleppo vs Damascus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Aleppo and in Damascus?
Aleppo and Damascus differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($678 vs $869 including rent). Aleppo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Damascus. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Aleppo and in Damascus?
Rent for a central apartment: $91.0 in Aleppo versus $525 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Aleppo or Damascus?
All in, you'll spend $678 per month in Aleppo versus $869 in Damascus – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Aleppo and in Damascus?
A monthly transit pass in Aleppo runs roughly 236% less than in Damascus. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $678 in Aleppo versus $869 in Damascus, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Aleppo but tight or insufficient in Damascus. The gap between the two cities makes Aleppo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Aleppo and Damascus?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Aleppo or Damascus?
Expats usually find Aleppo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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