Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $723 in Damascus versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,081 in Damascus versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,439 in Damascus versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Damascus costs roughly 69% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Damascus is 46% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.07 SYP 670

$17.58 €15.12

-65.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.25 SYP 3,011

$68.4 €58.9

-60.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 SYP 602

$14.06 €12.09

-61.24%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 165

$2.78 €2.39

-46.40%

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

$1.12 SYP 124

$2.80 €2.41

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 SYP 80.0

$2.06 €1.78

-65.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SYP 179

$4.46 €3.84

-63.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SYP 272

$4.61 €3.96

-46.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 SYP 108

$1.24 €1.07

-20.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 SYP 69.0

$2.03 €1.74

-69.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 SYP 188

$1.92 €1.65

-11.46%

Eggs

$1.88 SYP 208

$3.31 €2.85

-43.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 SYP 336

$18.43 €15.85

-83.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 SYP 847

$9.49 €8.16

-19.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 SYP 1,244

$19.16 €16.48

-41.23%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 SYP 102

$2.64 €2.27

-65.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SYP 198

$2.45 €2.11

-26.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 SYP 110

$2.12 €1.82

-52.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 SYP 96.6

$2.85 €2.45

-69.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 72.7

$2.04 €1.75

-67.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 SYP 72.2

$1.85 €1.59

-64.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 41.96

$1.47 €1.26

-74.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SYP 63.3

$0.84 €0.73

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 SYP 335

$7.14 €6.14

-57.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 SYP 663

$7.88 €6.78

-23.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 109

$1.38 €1.19

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SYP 201

$2.31 €1.99

-21.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.54

$2.98 €2.56

-96.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.18 SYP 1,899

$29.26 €25.17

-41.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 109

$4.60 €3.95

-78.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 SYP 139

$2.07 €1.78

-39.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 SYP 706

$29.18 €25.10

-78.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.59 SYP 397

$1.84 €1.58

95.11%

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

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

$39.0K €33.6K

-52.48%

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

$21.2K SYP 2.3M

$32.7K €28.1K

-35.18%

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

$103 SYP 11.4K

$188 €162

-45.02%

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

$8.22 SYP 908

$22.93 €19.73

-64.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 SYP 6,036

$36.71 €31.58

48.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.20 SYP 1,679

$57.4 €49.35

-73.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 SYP 819

$20.70 €17.80

-64.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.07 SYP 339

$11.19 €9.63

-72.56%

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

$43.11 SYP 4,763

$721 €620

-94.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,799 SYP 198.8K

$15.0K €12.9K

-88.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.40 SYP 3,248

$86.2 €74.2

-65.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 SYP 2,876

$37.07 €31.89

-29.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.85 SYP 5,067

$102 €87.8

-55.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 SYP 6,230

$116 €99.7

-51.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 SYP 28.6K

$1,534 €1,319

-83.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 SYP 18.6K

$1,220 €1,050

-86.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 SYP 57.7K

$2,696 €2,319

-80.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SYP 32.1K

$2,013 €1,732

-85.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,694 SYP 187.2K

$7,220 €6,211

-76.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$598 SYP 66.1K

$5,189 €4,463

-88.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$44.01 SYP 4,863

$2,359 €2,029

-98.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

3.39

305.60%

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

Last update for Damascus: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $259 in Damascus and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 5261% 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: $27.00 in Damascus vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $318 per month, with Damascus cheaper across the board.

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Damascus and Barcelona differ by about 227% in total monthly costs ($723 vs $2,367 including rent). Damascus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 5261% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $259 in Damascus versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $43.11 in Damascus versus $721 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $723 in Damascus versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Damascus but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Damascus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Damascus and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Damascus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 227% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.