Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Mogadishu Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Mogadishu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Damascus versus $600 in Mogadishu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Damascus versus $944 in Mogadishu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Damascus versus $1,289 in Mogadishu.

Living in Damascus is roughly 22% more expensive than in Mogadishu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Damascus 45% lower, Mogadishu 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 SYP 720

$3.55 SOS 2,016

67.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.18 SYP 3,303

$18.03 SOS 10.2K

50.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 SYP 686

$4.38 SOS 2,487

29.00%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 182

$1.47 SOS 835

1.36%

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

$1.12 SYP 136

$0.49 SOS 278

128.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 SYP 82.1

$0.33 SOS 187

106.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SYP 193

$4.04 SOS 2,293

-60.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SYP 302

$15.09 SOS 8,570

-83.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 SYP 126

$1.45 SOS 822

-28.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 71.7

$1.35 SOS 768

-56.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 SYP 203

$0.93 SOS 528

79.57%

Eggs

$1.92 SYP 233

$1.91 SOS 1,087

0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.02 SYP 367

$5.04 SOS 2,865

-40.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 SYP 917

$4.06 SOS 2,305

85.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 SYP 1,358

$5.01 SOS 2,847

123.15%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 SYP 107

$3.47 SOS 1,972

-74.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SYP 218

$0.97 SOS 551

84.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$3.23 SOS 1,834

-68.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 SYP 114

$1.36 SOS 772

-30.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$1.19 SOS 676

-48.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 79.8

$1.51 SOS 860

-56.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 49.06

$1.34 SOS 762

-70.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.6

$0.48 SOS 273

27.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 SYP 371

$1.21 SOS 688

152.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 SYP 996

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.99 SOS 1,128

-50.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SYP 212

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.69

$0.48 SOS 274

-79.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.85 SYP 2,048

$20.18 SOS 11.5K

-16.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 SYP 118

$1.01 SOS 575

-3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 SYP 147

$0.58 SOS 330

108.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 SYP 761

$6.42 SOS 3,646

-2.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.61 SYP 439

$1.02 SOS 579

253.92%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

$7,519 SOS 4.3M

147.27%

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

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

$6,136 SOS 3.5M

240.03%

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

$102 SYP 12.3K

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

20.34%

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

$8.25 SYP 1,003

$5.04 SOS 2,860

63.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 SYP 6,611

$57.0 SOS 32.4K

-4.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.48 SYP 1,881

$30.90 SOS 17.6K

-49.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 SYP 897

$10.41 SOS 5,912

-29.01%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 SYP 359

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

$43.49 SYP 5,285

$49.70 SOS 28.2K

-12.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,804 SYP 219.2K

$577 SOS 327.5K

212.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.75 SYP 3,615

$17.37 SOS 9,864

71.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.42 SYP 3,089

$24.39 SOS 13.9K

4.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.65 SYP 5,548

$26.34 SOS 15.0K

73.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 SYP 6,814

$60.3 SOS 34.3K

-7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 SYP 32.2K

$158 SOS 89.5K

68.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 SYP 20.6K

$66.7 SOS 37.9K

154.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 SYP 64.6K

$466 SOS 264.9K

14.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SYP 34.2K

$177 SOS 100.3K

59.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,714 SYP 208.3K

$3,226 SOS 1.8M

-46.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$596 SYP 72.5K

$2,405 SOS 1.4M

-75.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$59.5 SYP 7,235

$262 SOS 148.6K

-77.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

71.88%

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

Last update for Damascus: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mogadishu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $265 in Damascus and $158 in Mogadishu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mogadishu pays 340% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Damascus vs $18.00 in Mogadishu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $160 per month, with Mogadishu 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 Mogadishu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Damascus and Mogadishu differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($734 vs $600 including rent). Mogadishu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 340% lower in Mogadishu. 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: $265 in Damascus versus $158 in Mogadishu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mogadishu – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $27.00 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $734 per month in Damascus versus $600 in Mogadishu – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Mogadishu 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 Mogadishu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.