Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Damascus: $869 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $830 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Damascus
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Damascus Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Damascus

🇸🇾 Syria

$869

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Damascus and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Damascus and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $869 per month in Damascus vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Damascus $869
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,412 per month in Damascus vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Damascus $1,412
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $1,954 per month in Damascus vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Damascus $1,954
Chiang Mai $1,914

Damascus is about 7% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Damascus and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Damascus 36% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 SYP 1,238

$2.26 ฿75.4

350.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.87 SYP 5,209

$19.18 ฿641

123.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 SYP 835

$5.59 ฿187

22.90%

Cappuccino

$3.75 SYP 455

$1.72 ฿57.6

118.02%

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

$2.21 SYP 269

$0.64 ฿21.54

245.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 SYP 108

$0.33 ฿11.18

169.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SYP 249

$2.36 ฿78.7

-13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 SYP 489

$3.90 ฿130

3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 SYP 128

$2.05 ฿68.6

-48.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 50.1

$1.40 ฿46.70

-70.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 SYP 184

$1.28 ฿42.89

18.75%

Eggs

$1.62 SYP 197

$2.25 ฿75.3

-28.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.96 SYP 482

$16.94 ฿566

-76.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 SYP 680

$2.74 ฿91.6

104.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.69 SYP 1,664

$9.36 ฿313

46.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 SYP 129

$2.40 ฿80.3

-55.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 SYP 166

$1.01 ฿33.92

35.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 SYP 139

$1.61 ฿53.9

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 SYP 128

$1.52 ฿50.7

-30.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 96.2

$1.28 ฿42.90

-38.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 96.5

$1.11 ฿37.22

-28.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 49.16

$0.72 ฿24.09

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SYP 75.2

$0.52 ฿17.54

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 SYP 342

$4.33 ฿145

-35.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 SYP 740

$17.73 ฿593

-65.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 SYP 128

$1.63 ฿54.4

-34.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SYP 345

$2.85 ฿95.3

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 SYP 28.02

$0.85 ฿28.31

-72.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.85 SYP 1,198

$53.9 ฿1,801

-81.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.17 ฿39.18

-12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 SYP 179

$0.57 ฿19.00

159.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 SYP 938

$2.37 ฿79.2

225.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.70 SYP 450

$1.45 ฿48.32

155.17%

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

$14.8K SYP 1.8M

$20.5K ฿684.3K

-27.66%

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

$19.5K SYP 2.4M

$26.5K ฿886.1K

-26.43%

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

$138 SYP 16.8K

$62.3 ฿2,083

121.95%

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

$9.86 SYP 1,198

$12.27 ฿410

-19.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.41 SYP 5,518

$19.97 ฿668

127.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.67 SYP 3,363

$37.91 ฿1,267

-27.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.68 SYP 1,055

$3.76 ฿126

130.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 SYP 675

$6.71 ฿224

-17.14%

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

$66.4 SYP 8,068

$797 ฿26.6K

-91.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,758 SYP 213.6K

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-88.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.98 SYP 3,522

$53.3 ฿1,780

-45.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.38 SYP 4,907

$25.05 ฿837

61.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 SYP 7,215

$91.6 ฿3,062

-35.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 SYP 7,197

$73.5 ฿2,455

-19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 SYP 63.8K

$464 ฿15.5K

13.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 SYP 22.8K

$305 ฿10.2K

-38.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 SYP 101.3K

$915 ฿30.6K

-8.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 SYP 57.3K

$552 ฿18.5K

-14.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,700 SYP 206.6K

$1,912 ฿63.9K

-11.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$607 SYP 73.8K

$1,438 ฿48.1K

-57.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$72.9 SYP 8,855

$595 ฿19.9K

-87.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

5.57

155.83%

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

Last update for Damascus: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Damascus

$194 22.3%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 51.1% $99

Accommodation & Living

Damascus

$188 21.6%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 62.2% $117

Eating Out

Damascus

$178 20.5%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 55.6% $99

Groceries & Markets

Damascus

$168 19.3%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 41.9% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Damascus

$85 9.7%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 29.5% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Damascus

$39 4.5%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 32.4% $13

Getting Around

Damascus

$19 2.2%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 220% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $525 in Damascus versus $464 in Chiang Mai. 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 717% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Damascus versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Damascus vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Damascus wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇸🇾 Damascus

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

15:52 3:52 PM

19:52 7:52 PM

4 h ahead of Damascus

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,414,913 Capital

127,240

💱 Currency

Syrian Pound SYP £

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD

1,000 SYP = 7.32 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to SYP – Syrian Pound Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇾 Syrian Pound (£)

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 122 SYP (1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 137 SYP (1,000 SYP = 7.32 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to SYP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Damascus Chiang Mai 6,370 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Damascus
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Damascus, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,304 per month in Damascus and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $66.4 per month in Damascus and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Damascus, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Damascus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Damascus costs $869 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Damascus. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.