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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $734 per month in Damascus vs $526 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,085 per month in Damascus vs $819 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,437 per month in Damascus vs $1,113 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

Damascus costs about 40% more than Al-qardahah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Damascus and Al-qardahah are more affordable than the global median – Damascus 45% lower, Al-qardahah 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 SYP 720

$5.89 SYP 716

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.18 SYP 3,303

$27.02 SYP 3,284

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 SYP 686

$5.58 SYP 678

1.25%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 182

$1.49 SYP 181

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

$1.12 SYP 136

$1.13 SYP 138

-0.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 SYP 82.1

$0.72 SYP 87.0

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SYP 193

$1.62 SYP 197

-2.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SYP 302

$2.54 SYP 308

-2.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 SYP 126

$0.97 SYP 117

7.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 71.7

$0.60 SYP 72.8

-1.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 SYP 203

$1.68 SYP 204

-0.60%

Eggs

$1.92 SYP 233

$1.87 SYP 227

2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.02 SYP 367

$3.04 SYP 369

-0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 SYP 917

$7.44 SYP 904

1.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 SYP 1,358

$11.45 SYP 1,391

-2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 SYP 107

$0.94 SYP 115

-6.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SYP 218

$1.80 SYP 218

-0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$1.02 SYP 124

0.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 SYP 114

$0.89 SYP 109

5.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$0.66 SYP 80.4

-7.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 79.8

$0.66 SYP 80.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 49.06

$0.40 SYP 49.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.6

$0.58 SYP 69.9

5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 SYP 371

$3.04 SYP 370

0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 SYP 996

$8.04 SYP 977

1.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SYP 212

$1.75 SYP 213

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.85 SYP 2,048

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 SYP 118

$0.99 SYP 120

-2.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 SYP 147

$1.22 SYP 148

-0.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 SYP 761

$6.47 SYP 787

-3.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.61 SYP 439

$3.78 SYP 459

-4.50%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

$18.3K SYP 2.2M

1.35%

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

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

0.98%

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

$102 SYP 12.3K

$101 SYP 12.3K

0.17%

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

$8.25 SYP 1,003

$8.20 SYP 996

0.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 SYP 6,611

$55.2 SYP 6,712

-1.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.48 SYP 1,881

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 SYP 897

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 SYP 359

$3.07 SYP 374

-3.91%

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

$43.49 SYP 5,285

$44.51 SYP 5,409

-2.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,804 SYP 219.2K

$1,843 SYP 224.0K

-2.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.75 SYP 3,615

$29.18 SYP 3,546

1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.42 SYP 3,089

$26.02 SYP 3,162

-2.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.65 SYP 5,548

$45.33 SYP 5,508

0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 SYP 6,814

$55.3 SYP 6,720

1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 SYP 32.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 SYP 20.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 SYP 64.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SYP 34.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,714 SYP 208.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$596 SYP 72.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$59.5 SYP 7,235

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

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

Last update for Damascus: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al-qardahah: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Damascus versus $27.00 in Al-qardahah. Groceries tell a different story – $172 in Damascus vs $171 in Al-qardahah – 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

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

Yes – Damascus is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,101 per month in Damascus and $789 in Al-qardahah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Damascus and $27.00 in Al-qardahah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Damascus, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $734 in Damascus and $526 in Al-qardahah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.