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 $875 per month in Damascus vs $640 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

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

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

Damascus costs about 37% more than Al-qardahah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 SYP 1,232

$9.83 SYP 1,194

3.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.44 SYP 5,400

$44.94 SYP 5,460

-1.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 SYP 836

$6.86 SYP 833

0.29%

Cappuccino

$3.79 SYP 461

$3.79 SYP 460

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

$2.20 SYP 267

$2.29 SYP 278

-3.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 SYP 105

$0.87 SYP 106

-1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 SYP 227

$1.92 SYP 233

-2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SYP 360

$3.06 SYP 372

-2.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 SYP 127

$1.09 SYP 133

-4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 49.82

$0.42 SYP 51.0

-2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 SYP 200

Eggs

$1.62 SYP 197

$1.57 SYP 191

3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 SYP 464

$3.87 SYP 471

-1.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 SYP 675

$5.69 SYP 691

-2.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.82 SYP 1,679

$13.55 SYP 1,647

1.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 SYP 129

$1.02 SYP 124

3.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 SYP 167

$1.41 SYP 172

-2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 SYP 132

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 SYP 128

$1.03 SYP 125

2.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 SYP 97.6

$0.75 SYP 91.6

6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 SYP 91.5

$0.79 SYP 96.2

-5.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 SYP 49.63

$0.40 SYP 48.87

2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SYP 75.3

$0.61 SYP 74.2

1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 SYP 334

$2.82 SYP 343

-2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 SYP 740

$6.07 SYP 737

0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 SYP 135

$1.10 SYP 134

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 SYP 344

$2.91 SYP 354

-2.75%

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)

$1.03 SYP 125

$1.02 SYP 124

0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 SYP 183

$1.54 SYP 187

-2.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 SYP 948

$7.84 SYP 953

-0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.79 SYP 461

$3.67 SYP 446

3.27%

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

$14.7K SYP 1.8M

$14.8K SYP 1.8M

-0.55%

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

$19.1K SYP 2.3M

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

0.60%

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

$141 SYP 17.1K

$137 SYP 16.7K

2.51%

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

$9.65 SYP 1,172

$9.45 SYP 1,148

2.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.34 SYP 5,509

$45.65 SYP 5,547

-0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.63 SYP 3,357

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 SYP 1,024

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 SYP 687

$5.40 SYP 656

4.63%

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

$66.5 SYP 8,073

$66.7 SYP 8,108

-0.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,755 SYP 213.2K

$1,806 SYP 219.5K

-2.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.44 SYP 3,456

$28.38 SYP 3,449

0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 SYP 4,927

$40.11 SYP 4,873

1.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 SYP 7,360

$60.0 SYP 7,288

1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 SYP 7,063

$57.9 SYP 7,032

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 Damascus: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al-qardahah: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Damascus versus $45.00 in Al-qardahah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $168 – making Damascus the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 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 $1,313 per month in Damascus and $960 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 $44.00 in Damascus and $45.00 in Al-qardahah. 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.