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: $723 in Damascus versus $596 in Mogadishu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,081 in Damascus versus $925 in Mogadishu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,439 in Damascus versus $1,253 in Mogadishu.

Living in Damascus is roughly 21% more expensive than Mogadishu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Damascus 46% lower, Mogadishu 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.07 SYP 670

$3.40 SOS 1,930

78.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.25 SYP 3,011

$17.86 SOS 10.1K

52.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 SYP 602

$4.41 SOS 2,506

23.58%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 165

$1.48 SOS 841

0.68%

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

$1.12 SYP 124

$0.48 SOS 271

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 SYP 80.0

$0.33 SOS 189

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SYP 179

$3.93 SOS 2,233

-58.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SYP 272

$14.97 SOS 8,505

-83.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 SYP 108

$1.45 SOS 822

-32.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 SYP 69.0

$1.35 SOS 764

-54.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 SYP 188

$0.90 SOS 510

88.89%

Eggs

$1.88 SYP 208

$1.90 SOS 1,082

-1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 SYP 336

$5.02 SOS 2,851

-39.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 SYP 847

$3.92 SOS 2,227

95.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 SYP 1,244

$4.95 SOS 2,813

127.47%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 SYP 102

$3.33 SOS 1,891

-72.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SYP 198

$0.99 SOS 560

80.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 SYP 110

$3.23 SOS 1,836

-69.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 SYP 96.6

$1.36 SOS 772

-36.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 72.7

$1.23 SOS 701

-46.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 SYP 72.2

$1.51 SOS 858

-56.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 41.96

$1.36 SOS 774

-72.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SYP 63.3

$0.52 SOS 295

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 SYP 335

$1.22 SOS 691

148.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 SYP 663

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 109

$2.02 SOS 1,148

-51.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SYP 201

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.54

$0.48 SOS 273

-79.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.18 SYP 1,899

$19.69 SOS 11.2K

-12.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 109

$1.02 SOS 582

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 SYP 139

$0.61 SOS 347

106.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 SYP 706

$6.54 SOS 3,714

-2.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.59 SYP 397

$1.01 SOS 571

255.45%

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

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

$7,566 SOS 4.3M

145.00%

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

$21.2K SYP 2.3M

$6,238 SOS 3.5M

239.78%

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

$103 SYP 11.4K

$84.1 SOS 47.8K

22.79%

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

$8.22 SYP 908

$5.12 SOS 2,909

60.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 SYP 6,036

$58.3 SOS 33.1K

-6.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.20 SYP 1,679

$31.42 SOS 17.8K

-51.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 SYP 819

$10.54 SOS 5,988

-29.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.07 SYP 339

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

$43.11 SYP 4,763

$50.4 SOS 28.7K

-14.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,799 SYP 198.8K

$571 SOS 324.3K

215.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.40 SYP 3,248

$17.51 SOS 9,948

67.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 SYP 2,876

$24.48 SOS 13.9K

6.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.85 SYP 5,067

$26.72 SOS 15.2K

71.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 SYP 6,230

$59.9 SOS 34.0K

-5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 SYP 28.6K

$158 SOS 89.7K

64.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 SYP 18.6K

$68.7 SOS 39.0K

145.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 SYP 57.7K

$466 SOS 264.4K

12.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SYP 32.1K

$182 SOS 103.6K

59.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,694 SYP 187.2K

$3,232 SOS 1.8M

-47.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$598 SYP 66.1K

$2,439 SOS 1.4M

-75.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$44.01 SYP 4,863

$260 SOS 147.7K

-83.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mogadishu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $259 in Damascus and $158 in Mogadishu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mogadishu pays 491% 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 $168 vs $159 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 21% in total monthly costs ($723 vs $596 including rent). Mogadishu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mogadishu earns 491% 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: $259 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 $723 per month in Damascus versus $596 in Mogadishu – a 21% 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 21% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.