Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Hama Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Hama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $858 in Damascus versus $561 in Hama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,383 in Damascus versus $875 in Hama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Damascus versus $1,189 in Hama.

Living in Damascus is roughly 53% more expensive than in Hama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Damascus 38% lower, Hama 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.16 SYP 1,235

$7.87 SYP 956

29.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.49 SYP 5,528

$30.69 SYP 3,730

48.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 SYP 826

$2.62 SYP 318

159.16%

Cappuccino

$3.66 SYP 445

$1.16 SYP 141

215.52%

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

$2.19 SYP 267

$2.27 SYP 276

-3.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 SYP 99.5

$0.82 SYP 99.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SYP 229

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 SYP 356

$1.81 SYP 220

61.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 SYP 133

$1.04 SYP 126

4.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 SYP 46.98

$0.39 SYP 47.13

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 SYP 193

$1.58 SYP 193

0.63%

Eggs

$1.62 SYP 197

$1.61 SYP 196

0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.93 SYP 478

$3.89 SYP 473

1.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 SYP 710

$5.77 SYP 702

1.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 SYP 1,671

$13.68 SYP 1,663

0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.07 SYP 131

-4.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 171

$1.43 SYP 173

-1.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 SYP 134

$1.14 SYP 138

-3.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 SYP 128

$1.03 SYP 125

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 SYP 89.8

$0.80 SYP 97.7

-7.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 SYP 90.1

$0.75 SYP 90.7

-1.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 SYP 53.2

$0.40 SYP 48.51

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$0.62 SYP 75.4

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 SYP 332

$2.70 SYP 329

1.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 SYP 740

$6.14 SYP 747

-0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 SYP 128

$1.10 SYP 134

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 SYP 360

$2.82 SYP 342

4.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 SYP 25.50

$0.21 SYP 25.18

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.04 SYP 1,220

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.01 SYP 123

0.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 SYP 181

$1.53 SYP 186

-2.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 SYP 933

$7.57 SYP 920

1.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.72 SYP 452

$3.61 SYP 438

3.05%

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

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

$14.9K SYP 1.8M

1.60%

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

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

$19.1K SYP 2.3M

-1.87%

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

$138 SYP 16.8K

$143 SYP 17.3K

-2.92%

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

$9.53 SYP 1,158

$9.35 SYP 1,136

1.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.09 SYP 5,601

$23.48 SYP 2,853

96.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.43 SYP 3,454

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.57 SYP 1,042

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 SYP 686

$5.65 SYP 686

-0.18%

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

$66.8 SYP 8,115

$67.0 SYP 8,141

-0.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,746 SYP 212.2K

$1,804 SYP 219.3K

-3.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.89 SYP 3,511

$28.66 SYP 3,483

0.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 SYP 4,870

$40.13 SYP 4,877

-0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 SYP 7,214

$59.5 SYP 7,227

-0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 SYP 7,102

$58.9 SYP 7,158

-0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 SYP 64.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 SYP 22.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 SYP 101.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 SYP 53.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 SYP 207.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$611 SYP 74.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$72.7 SYP 8,831

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

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

Last update for Damascus: August 30, 2026

Last update for Hama: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Damascus vs $31.00 in Hama. Groceries flip the comparison at $169 vs $169, with Damascus cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Damascus and Hama differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($858 vs $561 including rent). Hama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,287 in Damascus and $842 in Hama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $66.8 in Damascus versus $67.0 in Hama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Hama – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $45.00 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $561 in Hama versus $858 in Damascus, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hama but tight or insufficient in Damascus. The gap between the two cities makes Hama 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.

Expats usually find Hama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.