Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Latakia Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Latakia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $737 in Damascus versus $472 in Latakia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,091 in Damascus versus $791 in Latakia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,445 in Damascus versus $1,110 in Latakia.

Living in Damascus is roughly 56% more expensive than Latakia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Damascus 45% lower, Latakia 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.10 SYP 692

$4.64 SYP 527

31.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.02 SYP 3,069

$19.83 SYP 2,252

36.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 SYP 623

$5.13 SYP 583

7.02%

Cappuccino

$1.50 SYP 170

$0.66 SYP 75.4

127.27%

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

$1.13 SYP 129

$0.74 SYP 84.3

52.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 SYP 78.2

$0.36 SYP 40.97

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SYP 183

$0.98 SYP 112

65.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 SYP 292

$1.72 SYP 195

49.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 SYP 107

$0.77 SYP 87.7

23.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 SYP 72.6

$0.62 SYP 70.9

3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SYP 190

$1.00 SYP 113

68.00%

Eggs

$1.85 SYP 210

$1.89 SYP 215

-2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.06 SYP 348

$3.06 SYP 347

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 SYP 847

$6.72 SYP 763

11.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 SYP 1,287

$11.25 SYP 1,278

0.71%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 SYP 100

$0.82 SYP 93.3

7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 SYP 205

$1.05 SYP 119

72.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 SYP 118

$0.69 SYP 78.3

50.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 SYP 99.3

$0.59 SYP 67.4

47.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 SYP 75.6

$0.61 SYP 69.2

9.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 75.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 43.14

$0.38 SYP 43.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SYP 66.5

$0.58 SYP 66.4

1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 SYP 347

$2.96 SYP 336

3.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 SYP 885

$5.11 SYP 581

52.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 SYP 110

$0.98 SYP 111

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SYP 210

$1.76 SYP 200

5.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 SYP 12.80

$0.06 SYP 6.94

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.80 SYP 1,908

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 111

$0.98 SYP 112

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 SYP 140

$0.48 SYP 54.1

158.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 SYP 718

$6.30 SYP 716

0.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.63 SYP 412

$0.95 SYP 108

282.11%

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

$18.5K SYP 2.1M

$18.4K SYP 2.1M

0.99%

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

$21.4K SYP 2.4M

$20.7K SYP 2.4M

3.15%

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

$100 SYP 11.4K

$40.53 SYP 4,603

147.55%

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

$8.43 SYP 957

$8.63 SYP 980

-2.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 SYP 6,186

$47.31 SYP 5,373

15.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.02 SYP 1,706

$11.95 SYP 1,357

25.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.30 SYP 829

$3.91 SYP 444

86.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 SYP 343

$1.07 SYP 121

182.24%

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

$43.43 SYP 4,932

$20.50 SYP 2,328

111.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,840 SYP 209.0K

$1,836 SYP 208.5K

0.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.06 SYP 3,301

$21.72 SYP 2,467

33.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.07 SYP 2,961

$24.01 SYP 2,727

8.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.79 SYP 5,201

$41.15 SYP 4,673

11.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 SYP 6,414

$41.60 SYP 4,725

35.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 SYP 30.0K

$243 SYP 27.6K

8.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 SYP 19.3K

$83.6 SYP 9,495

102.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 SYP 59.2K

$472 SYP 53.7K

10.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SYP 31.9K

$237 SYP 26.9K

18.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,795 SYP 203.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$628 SYP 71.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$48.23 SYP 5,477

$59.1 SYP 6,717

-18.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

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

Last update for Damascus: April 21, 2026

Last update for Latakia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $264 in Damascus and $243 in Latakia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Latakia pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27 in Damascus vs $20 in Latakia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $149 per month, with Latakia 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 Latakia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Damascus and Latakia differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($737 vs $472 including rent). Latakia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Latakia earns 23% less. 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: $264 in Damascus versus $243 in Latakia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $43.43 in Damascus versus $20.50 in Latakia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Latakia – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $27.00 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Latakia gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Latakia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.