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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $734 per month in Damascus vs $677 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,085 per month in Damascus vs $1,074 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,437 per month in Damascus vs $1,472 in Chengdu, rent included.

Damascus costs about 8% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Damascus and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Damascus 45% lower, Chengdu 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 SYP 720

$2.82 ¥19.09

110.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.18 SYP 3,303

$24.08 ¥163

12.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 SYP 686

$4.97 ¥33.66

13.68%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 182

$2.76 ¥18.71

-46.01%

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

$1.12 SYP 136

$0.43 ¥2.92

160.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 SYP 82.1

$0.28 ¥1.88

142.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SYP 193

$1.14 ¥7.70

38.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SYP 302

$2.06 ¥13.97

20.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 SYP 126

$1.81 ¥12.28

-42.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 71.7

$1.39 ¥9.39

-57.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 SYP 203

$0.93 ¥6.31

79.57%

Eggs

$1.92 SYP 233

$1.94 ¥13.10

-1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.02 SYP 367

$13.76 ¥93.2

-78.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 SYP 917

$3.61 ¥24.41

108.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 SYP 1,358

$11.32 ¥76.6

-1.24%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 SYP 107

$1.91 ¥12.94

-53.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SYP 218

$1.22 ¥8.28

46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$1.50 ¥10.18

-31.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 SYP 114

$1.02 ¥6.90

-7.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$0.71 ¥4.81

-14.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 79.8

$0.70 ¥4.76

-5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 49.06

$0.60 ¥4.09

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.6

$0.61 ¥4.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 SYP 371

$3.40 ¥23.02

-10.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 SYP 996

$5.50 ¥37.19

49.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$0.95 ¥6.42

3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SYP 212

$1.85 ¥12.53

-5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.69

$0.43 ¥2.94

-76.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.85 SYP 2,048

$27.94 ¥189

-39.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 SYP 118

$1.24 ¥8.38

-21.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 SYP 147

$0.28 ¥1.91

332.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 SYP 761

$4.16 ¥28.15

50.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.61 SYP 439

$1.17 ¥7.95

208.55%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

$18.5K ¥125.0K

0.69%

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

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

$16.7K ¥112.7K

25.28%

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

$102 SYP 12.3K

$44.66 ¥302

127.34%

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

$8.25 SYP 1,003

$11.53 ¥78.1

-28.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 SYP 6,611

$11.33 ¥76.7

380.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.48 SYP 1,881

$24.18 ¥164

-35.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 SYP 897

$11.55 ¥78.2

-36.02%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 SYP 359

$5.69 ¥38.53

-48.15%

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

$43.49 SYP 5,285

$330 ¥2,232

-86.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,804 SYP 219.2K

$12.3K ¥83.5K

-85.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.75 SYP 3,615

$37.54 ¥254

-20.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.42 SYP 3,089

$38.48 ¥260

-33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.65 SYP 5,548

$66.8 ¥452

-31.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 SYP 6,814

$50.0 ¥339

12.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 SYP 32.2K

$320 ¥2,165

-17.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 SYP 20.6K

$183 ¥1,237

-7.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 SYP 64.6K

$611 ¥4,138

-13.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SYP 34.2K

$329 ¥2,224

-14.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,714 SYP 208.3K

$3,785 ¥25.6K

-54.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$596 SYP 72.5K

$1,925 ¥13.0K

-69.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$59.5 SYP 7,235

$1,278 ¥8,647

-95.34%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $265 in Damascus versus $320 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 2046% 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 – $172 in Damascus vs $198 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: $734 in Damascus, $677 in Chengdu – roughly 8% apart. Damascus costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,101 per month in Damascus and $1,015 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 $734 in Damascus and $677 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 $734 in Damascus and $677 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.