Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $723 per month in Damascus vs $689 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,081 per month in Damascus vs $1,083 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,439 per month in Damascus vs $1,477 in Chengdu, rent included.

Damascus costs about 5% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Damascus and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Damascus 46% lower, Chengdu 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.07 SYP 670

$2.85 ¥19.30

112.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.25 SYP 3,011

$24.00 ¥162

13.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 SYP 602

$4.99 ¥33.72

9.22%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 165

$2.77 ¥18.73

-46.21%

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

$1.12 SYP 124

$0.46 ¥3.14

143.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 SYP 80.0

$0.30 ¥2.06

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SYP 179

$1.13 ¥7.62

43.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SYP 272

$2.13 ¥14.43

15.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 SYP 108

$1.80 ¥12.18

-45.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 SYP 69.0

$1.39 ¥9.38

-55.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 SYP 188

$0.90 ¥6.09

88.89%

Eggs

$1.88 SYP 208

$1.86 ¥12.59

1.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 SYP 336

$13.62 ¥92.1

-77.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 SYP 847

$3.56 ¥24.07

115.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 SYP 1,244

$11.23 ¥76.0

0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 SYP 102

$1.86 ¥12.61

-50.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SYP 198

$1.18 ¥7.99

51.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 SYP 110

$1.50 ¥10.15

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 SYP 96.6

$1.04 ¥7.01

-16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 72.7

$0.70 ¥4.73

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 SYP 72.2

$0.70 ¥4.71

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 41.96

$0.56 ¥3.81

-32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SYP 63.3

$0.61 ¥4.12

-6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 SYP 335

$3.24 ¥21.91

-6.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 SYP 663

$5.44 ¥36.77

10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 109

$1.00 ¥6.78

-2.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SYP 201

$1.87 ¥12.67

-2.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.54

$0.41 ¥2.77

-75.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.18 SYP 1,899

$27.31 ¥185

-37.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 109

$1.22 ¥8.28

-19.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 SYP 139

$0.26 ¥1.75

384.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 SYP 706

$4.09 ¥27.62

56.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.59 SYP 397

$1.14 ¥7.69

214.91%

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

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

$18.7K ¥126.6K

-0.97%

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

$21.2K SYP 2.3M

$16.0K ¥108.4K

32.15%

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

$103 SYP 11.4K

$45.05 ¥305

129.23%

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

$8.22 SYP 908

$11.69 ¥79.1

-29.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 SYP 6,036

$11.38 ¥77.0

380.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.20 SYP 1,679

$24.49 ¥166

-37.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 SYP 819

$11.16 ¥75.5

-33.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.07 SYP 339

$5.54 ¥37.45

-44.58%

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

$43.11 SYP 4,763

$333 ¥2,249

-87.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,799 SYP 198.8K

$12.1K ¥82.1K

-85.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.40 SYP 3,248

$37.92 ¥256

-22.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 SYP 2,876

$38.57 ¥261

-32.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.85 SYP 5,067

$67.4 ¥456

-31.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 SYP 6,230

$50.7 ¥343

11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 SYP 28.6K

$318 ¥2,149

-18.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 SYP 18.6K

$179 ¥1,213

-6.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 SYP 57.7K

$610 ¥4,128

-14.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SYP 32.1K

$335 ¥2,263

-13.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,694 SYP 187.2K

$3,810 ¥25.8K

-55.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$598 SYP 66.1K

$1,922 ¥13.0K

-68.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$44.01 SYP 4,863

$1,257 ¥8,501

-96.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

4.21

226.60%

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

Last update for Damascus: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Damascus versus $318 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2757% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Damascus versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Damascus vs $196 in Chengdu – so Damascus 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 Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $723 in Damascus, $689 in Chengdu – roughly 5% apart. Damascus costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,084 per month in Damascus and $1,033 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Damascus and $24.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $723 in Damascus and $689 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $723 in Damascus and $689 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – 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 Chengdu. 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.