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: $734 in Damascus versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Damascus versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Damascus versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Damascus costs roughly 68% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Damascus is 45% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 SYP 720

$17.66 €15.43

-66.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.18 SYP 3,303

$69.7 €60.9

-60.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 SYP 686

$14.16 €12.37

-60.10%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 182

$2.80 €2.45

-46.79%

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

$1.12 SYP 136

$2.81 €2.46

-60.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 SYP 82.1

$2.06 €1.80

-66.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SYP 193

$4.60 €4.02

-65.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SYP 302

$4.69 €4.10

-47.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 SYP 126

$1.23 €1.07

-15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 71.7

$2.03 €1.78

-70.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 SYP 203

$1.98 €1.73

-15.66%

Eggs

$1.92 SYP 233

$3.49 €3.05

-44.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.02 SYP 367

$18.33 €16.01

-83.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 SYP 917

$9.83 €8.59

-23.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 SYP 1,358

$19.13 €16.71

-41.56%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 SYP 107

$2.73 €2.38

-67.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SYP 218

$2.38 €2.08

-24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$2.08 €1.82

-50.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 SYP 114

$2.75 €2.41

-65.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$1.96 €1.71

-68.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 79.8

$1.79 €1.57

-63.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 49.06

$1.48 €1.29

-72.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.6

$0.91 €0.80

-32.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 SYP 371

$7.13 €6.23

-57.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 SYP 996

$7.88 €6.88

4.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.38 €1.20

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SYP 212

$2.39 €2.09

-26.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.69

$3.01 €2.63

-96.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.85 SYP 2,048

$29.35 €25.65

-42.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 SYP 118

$4.36 €3.81

-77.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 SYP 147

$2.13 €1.86

-43.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 SYP 761

$29.60 €25.86

-78.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.61 SYP 439

$1.82 €1.59

98.35%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

$37.9K €33.1K

-50.93%

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

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

$32.4K €28.3K

-35.56%

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

$102 SYP 12.3K

$189 €165

-46.29%

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

$8.25 SYP 1,003

$22.29 €19.48

-62.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 SYP 6,611

$37.16 €32.47

46.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.48 SYP 1,881

$58.0 €50.7

-73.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 SYP 897

$20.66 €18.05

-64.23%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 SYP 359

$10.87 €9.50

-72.86%

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

$43.49 SYP 5,285

$706 €617

-93.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,804 SYP 219.2K

$14.9K €13.0K

-87.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.75 SYP 3,615

$89.4 €78.2

-66.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.42 SYP 3,089

$36.60 €31.98

-30.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.65 SYP 5,548

$104 €90.9

-56.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 SYP 6,814

$119 €104

-53.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 SYP 32.2K

$1,579 €1,379

-83.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 SYP 20.6K

$1,238 €1,082

-86.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 SYP 64.6K

$2,712 €2,370

-80.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SYP 34.2K

$2,039 €1,782

-86.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,714 SYP 208.3K

$7,527 €6,576

-77.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$596 SYP 72.5K

$5,239 €4,577

-88.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$59.5 SYP 7,235

$2,364 €2,065

-97.48%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $265 in Damascus and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 3871% 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 $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $320 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 216% in total monthly costs ($734 vs $2,320 including rent). Damascus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 3871% 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: $265 in Damascus versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $43.49 in Damascus versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Damascus versus $2,320 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 216% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.