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: $858 in Damascus versus $473 in Latakia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,383 in Damascus versus $781 in Latakia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Damascus versus $1,089 in Latakia.

Living in Damascus is roughly 81% more expensive than in Latakia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Damascus 38% lower, Latakia 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.16 SYP 1,235

$4.94 SYP 601

105.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.49 SYP 5,530

$30.31 SYP 3,685

50.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 SYP 826

$5.42 SYP 658

25.28%

Cappuccino

$3.66 SYP 445

$0.99 SYP 120

269.70%

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

$2.19 SYP 267

$1.00 SYP 122

119.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 SYP 99.5

$0.80 SYP 97.8

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SYP 229

$0.99 SYP 120

90.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 SYP 356

$3.08 SYP 374

-4.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 SYP 133

$0.95 SYP 116

14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 SYP 46.99

$0.41 SYP 50.2

-4.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 SYP 193

$1.16 SYP 141

37.07%

Eggs

$1.62 SYP 197

$1.46 SYP 177

10.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.93 SYP 478

$3.89 SYP 473

1.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 SYP 711

$5.20 SYP 632

12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 SYP 1,671

$14.16 SYP 1,721

-2.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 SYP 124

$0.86 SYP 105

18.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 171

$1.17 SYP 143

20.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 SYP 134

$0.73 SYP 88.7

50.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 SYP 128

$0.69 SYP 83.9

52.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 SYP 89.8

$0.69 SYP 83.8

7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 SYP 90.2

$0.79 SYP 96.3

-6.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 SYP 53.2

$0.41 SYP 49.31

7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$0.63 SYP 76.5

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 SYP 332

$2.84 SYP 346

-3.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 SYP 740

$4.08 SYP 495

49.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 SYP 128

$1.34 SYP 163

-21.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 SYP 360

$2.29 SYP 278

29.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 SYP 25.51

$0.07 SYP 7.95

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.04 SYP 1,221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.03 SYP 125

-0.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 SYP 181

$0.57 SYP 69.5

161.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 SYP 933

$5.09 SYP 618

50.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.72 SYP 453

$1.05 SYP 128

254.29%

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

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

1.19%

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

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

0.07%

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

$138 SYP 16.8K

$67.5 SYP 8,204

104.98%

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

$9.53 SYP 1,158

$7.31 SYP 888

30.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.09 SYP 5,603

$33.74 SYP 4,101

36.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.43 SYP 3,455

$14.19 SYP 1,725

100.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.57 SYP 1,042

$9.56 SYP 1,162

-10.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 SYP 686

$1.17 SYP 142

382.05%

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

$66.8 SYP 8,117

$40.57 SYP 4,931

64.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,746 SYP 212.2K

$1,512 SYP 183.8K

15.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.89 SYP 3,512

$26.54 SYP 3,227

8.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 SYP 4,871

$19.16 SYP 2,329

109.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 SYP 7,215

$42.08 SYP 5,115

41.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 SYP 7,104

$39.66 SYP 4,821

47.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 SYP 64.1K

$90.8 SYP 11.0K

481.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 SYP 22.3K

$51.7 SYP 6,279

254.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 SYP 101.7K

$250 SYP 30.4K

234.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 SYP 53.8K

$126 SYP 15.3K

252.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 SYP 207.2K

$705 SYP 85.7K

141.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$611 SYP 74.3K

$246 SYP 29.8K

148.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$72.7 SYP 8,833

$58.3 SYP 7,085

24.67%

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 Latakia: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $527 in Damascus and $90.8 in Latakia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Damascus pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Damascus vs $30.00 in Latakia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $154 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 81% in total monthly costs ($858 vs $473 including rent). Latakia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Damascus, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $527 in Damascus versus $90.8 in Latakia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $66.8 in Damascus versus $40.57 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 $30.00 versus $45.00 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $473 in Latakia versus $858 in Damascus, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Latakia but tight or insufficient in Damascus. The gap between the two cities makes Latakia 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 Latakia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.