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: $858 in Damascus versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,383 in Damascus versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Damascus versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

Living in Damascus costs roughly 66% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Damascus is 38% below, Barcelona is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.16 SYP 1,235

$18.39 €15.86

-44.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.49 SYP 5,528

$69.2 €59.7

-34.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 SYP 825

$14.13 €12.19

-51.95%

Cappuccino

$3.66 SYP 445

$3.13 €2.70

16.93%

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

$2.19 SYP 267

$3.02 €2.60

-27.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 SYP 99.5

$1.96 €1.69

-58.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SYP 229

$4.00 €3.45

-52.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 SYP 356

$4.76 €4.11

-38.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 SYP 133

$1.25 €1.08

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 SYP 46.97

$2.16 €1.87

-81.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 SYP 193

$1.69 €1.45

-5.92%

Eggs

$1.62 SYP 197

$4.93 €4.25

-67.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.93 SYP 478

$17.88 €15.42

-78.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 SYP 710

$9.61 €8.29

-39.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 SYP 1,670

$19.34 €16.68

-28.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 SYP 124

$3.24 €2.79

-68.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 171

$2.18 €1.88

-35.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 SYP 134

$2.67 €2.30

-58.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 SYP 128

$2.77 €2.39

-62.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 SYP 89.8

$2.21 €1.91

-66.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 SYP 90.1

$2.19 €1.89

-66.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 SYP 53.2

$1.52 €1.31

-71.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$0.92 €0.79

-33.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 SYP 332

$7.12 €6.14

-61.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 SYP 740

$8.14 €7.02

-25.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 SYP 128

$1.50 €1.29

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 SYP 360

$2.78 €2.40

6.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 SYP 25.49

$3.15 €2.72

-93.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.04 SYP 1,220

$26.99 €23.28

-62.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 124

$3.25 €2.80

-68.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 SYP 180

$1.50 €1.29

-0.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 SYP 933

$34.89 €30.10

-77.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.72 SYP 452

$1.75 €1.51

112.57%

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

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

$36.7K €31.6K

-58.69%

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

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

$30.9K €26.7K

-39.31%

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

$138 SYP 16.8K

$188 €162

-26.26%

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

$9.53 SYP 1,158

$15.44 €13.32

-38.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.09 SYP 5,600

$37.80 €32.60

21.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.43 SYP 3,454

$57.2 €49.32

-50.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.57 SYP 1,042

$16.80 €14.49

-48.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 SYP 686

$11.58 €9.99

-51.30%

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

$66.8 SYP 8,113

$1,003 €865

-93.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,746 SYP 212.1K

$17.0K €14.7K

-89.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.89 SYP 3,510

$89.2 €77.0

-67.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 SYP 4,869

$40.87 €35.25

-1.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 SYP 7,212

$110 €94.9

-46.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 SYP 7,101

$123 €106

-52.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 SYP 64.1K

$1,673 €1,443

-68.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 SYP 22.3K

$1,331 €1,148

-86.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 SYP 101.7K

$2,596 €2,239

-67.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 SYP 53.8K

$1,950 €1,682

-77.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 SYP 207.2K

$7,573 €6,532

-77.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$611 SYP 74.2K

$5,370 €4,632

-88.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$72.7 SYP 8,829

$2,402 €2,072

-96.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

3.16

350.95%

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

Last update for Damascus: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $527 in Damascus and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 3205% 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: $45.00 in Damascus vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $332 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 191% in total monthly costs ($858 vs $2,495 including rent). Damascus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 3205% lower in Barcelona. 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: $527 in Damascus versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $66.8 in Damascus versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 96% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $858 in Damascus versus $2,495 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 191% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.