Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Homs Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Homs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Damascus versus $479 in Homs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,394 in Damascus versus $688 in Homs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,928 in Damascus versus $897 in Homs.

Living in Damascus is roughly 79% more expensive than in Homs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Damascus 38% lower, Homs 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 SYP 1,235

$3.04 SYP 369

234.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.45 SYP 5,402

$11.86 SYP 1,441

274.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 SYP 868

$4.59 SYP 558

55.56%

Cappuccino

$3.63 SYP 441

$0.45 SYP 54.4

706.67%

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

$2.28 SYP 277

$2.31 SYP 281

-1.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 SYP 105

$0.48 SYP 58.0

81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 SYP 235

$1.94 SYP 236

-0.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 SYP 359

$3.04 SYP 369

-2.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 SYP 127

$0.66 SYP 80.3

59.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 50.1

$0.41 SYP 49.90

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 SYP 201

$1.12 SYP 137

48.21%

Eggs

$1.55 SYP 188

$1.54 SYP 188

0.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.01 SYP 488

$3.33 SYP 405

20.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 SYP 688

$3.97 SYP 483

42.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 SYP 1,680

$9.74 SYP 1,184

41.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 SYP 131

$0.54 SYP 65.2

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 SYP 170

$1.21 SYP 146

15.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 SYP 132

$0.58 SYP 70.0

87.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 SYP 128

$0.29 SYP 35.53

262.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 SYP 91.3

$0.48 SYP 57.8

56.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 SYP 90.3

$0.75 SYP 90.7

-1.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 SYP 53.2

$0.36 SYP 44.19

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.1

$0.43 SYP 52.7

41.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 SYP 340

$1.48 SYP 179

89.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 SYP 731

$3.85 SYP 468

56.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 SYP 128

$0.72 SYP 87.8

45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SYP 361

$2.91 SYP 353

2.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 SYP 28.05

$0.23 SYP 27.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.04 SYP 1,220

$15.22 SYP 1,850

-34.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 123

$0.98 SYP 119

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 SYP 187

$1.48 SYP 180

4.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.78 SYP 945

$2.02 SYP 245

285.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.60 SYP 437

$1.03 SYP 125

249.51%

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

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

-0.32%

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

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

$12.9K SYP 1.6M

47.11%

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

$140 SYP 17.1K

$98.1 SYP 11.9K

43.09%

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

$9.76 SYP 1,187

$6.67 SYP 811

46.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.06 SYP 5,719

$45.36 SYP 5,512

3.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.69 SYP 3,365

$10.17 SYP 1,236

172.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.73 SYP 1,061

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 SYP 675

$5.34 SYP 649

3.93%

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

$67.0 SYP 8,146

$65.8 SYP 7,990

1.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,751 SYP 212.8K

$982 SYP 119.3K

78.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.35 SYP 3,445

$4.92 SYP 597

476.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 SYP 4,927

$10.05 SYP 1,221

303.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 SYP 7,297

$59.8 SYP 7,266

0.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 SYP 7,084

$30.81 SYP 3,744

89.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 SYP 63.5K

$49.94 SYP 6,068

946.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 SYP 22.7K

$34.35 SYP 4,174

442.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 SYP 100.8K

$102 SYP 12.4K

714.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 SYP 53.1K

$56.1 SYP 6,816

679.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,723 SYP 209.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 SYP 73.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$70.9 SYP 8,617

$73.8 SYP 8,964

-3.88%

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Homs: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Damascus and $49.94 in Homs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Homs pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Damascus vs $12.00 in Homs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $121 per month, with Homs 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 Homs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Damascus and Homs differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($859 vs $479 including rent). Homs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Homs. 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: $523 in Damascus versus $49.94 in Homs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Homs – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $44.00 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $859 per month in Damascus versus $479 in Homs – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $479 in Homs versus $859 in Damascus, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Homs but tight or insufficient in Damascus. The gap between the two cities makes Homs 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 Homs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.