Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Al-qardahah

For one person, living is cheaper in Al-qardahah: $638 a month against $2,551 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,551
/mo nomad
Al-qardahah
🇸🇾 Syria
$638
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Al-qardahah

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

A single person spends $2,551 per month in Berlin vs $638 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

  • Berlin $2,551
  • Al-qardahah $638

A couple spends around $3,845 per month in Berlin vs $1,011 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,845
  • Al-qardahah $1,011

A family of three spends $5,139 per month in Berlin vs $1,383 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,139
  • Al-qardahah $1,383

Berlin costs about 300% more than Al-qardahah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Berlin sits 89% above the global median, while Al-qardahah is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Al-qardahah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.81
$9.83 SYP 1,194
69.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.7 €68.2
$42.10 SYP 5,117
82.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.47 €11.98
$7.03 SYP 855
91.61%
Cappuccino
$4.37 €3.89
$3.67 SYP 446
19.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 €3.09
$2.27 SYP 276
53.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 €2.77
$0.86 SYP 105
262.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.34 €4.75
$2.05 SYP 249
160.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 €3.91
$3.98 SYP 484
10.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Al-qardahah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.10 SYP 133
15.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.08
$0.42 SYP 50.5
454.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.40 €3.02
$1.58 SYP 192
115.19%
Eggs
$4.50 €4.00
$1.60 SYP 195
181.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.78 €14.93
$3.89 SYP 472
331.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.91 €10.59
$5.56 SYP 676
114.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.90 €15.92
$13.73 SYP 1,668
30.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.46 €3.07
$1.02 SYP 124
239.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 €1.73
$1.41 SYP 171
38.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 €2.90
$1.15 SYP 139
183.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.71 €3.30
$1.03 SYP 125
260.19%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$0.76 SYP 91.9
176.32%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$0.76 SYP 92.1
175.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.27
$0.44 SYP 53.5
222.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 €0.84
$0.62 SYP 75.9
53.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.44 €9.29
$2.85 SYP 346
266.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.58 €5.85
$5.81 SYP 706
13.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.05 SYP 128
20.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 €1.85
$2.92 SYP 355
-28.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Al-qardahah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.34 €3.86
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$71.6 €63.7
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.26 €4.68
$0.98 SYP 120
436.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.09 €2.75
$1.57 SYP 190
96.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.34 €32.32
$7.49 SYP 911
385.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.05
$3.72 SYP 452
-37.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.4K €28.8K
$15.1K SYP 1.8M
115.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K €34.3K
$19.0K SYP 2.3M
103.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Al-qardahah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$382 €340
$137 SYP 16.7K
178.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.83 €16.75
$9.89 SYP 1,202
90.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.57 €43.20
$45.78 SYP 5,564
6.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Al-qardahah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.21 €35.76
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.90 €31.04
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.73 €14.00
$5.62 SYP 683
179.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Al-qardahah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$142 €126
$66.2 SYP 8,040
114.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K €14.0K
$1,781 SYP 216.4K
786.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Al-qardahah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.4 €84.8
$29.05 SYP 3,531
228.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.32 €41.20
$39.40 SYP 4,788
17.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.4
$59.0 SYP 7,164
76.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €128
$57.9 SYP 7,030
147.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Al-qardahah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,469 €1,306
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,114 €991
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,751 €2,447
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,107 €1,875
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,454 €7,520
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,435 €4,834
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Al-qardahah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,543 €3,151
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
14.25
-73.33%

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

Last update for Berlin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Al-qardahah: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Al-qardahah
- * 100%
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$449
Al-qardahah
$193 57% $256
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$343
Al-qardahah
$168 51.1% $175
Eating Out
Berlin
$288
Al-qardahah
$175 39.4% $113
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$175
Al-qardahah
$83 52.4% $92
Getting Around
Berlin
$110
Al-qardahah
$8.8 * 92% $101
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$72
Al-qardahah
$11 * 84.3% $60

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Berlin versus $42.00 in Al-qardahah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $168 – making Al-qardahah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇸🇾 Al-qardahah
🕒 Local time
21:57 9:57 PM
22:57 10:57 PM
1 h ahead of Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

SYP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Berlin Al-qardahah 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Berlin
  • Al-qardahah

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

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Berlin vs Al-qardahah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al-qardahah cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 300%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,826 per month in Berlin and $958 in Al-qardahah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Berlin or in Al-qardahah?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Berlin and $42.00 in Al-qardahah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Berlin and in Al-qardahah?
Groceries cost about 105% more in Berlin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Berlin or in Al-qardahah?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-qardahah, where all-in costs run around $638, than in Berlin at $2,551. In Al-qardahah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Berlin or Al-qardahah more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Berlin or Al-qardahah?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Al-qardahah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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