Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Damascus: $871 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Damascus
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Damascus Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Damascus

🇸🇾 Syria

$871

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Damascus and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Damascus and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $871 in Damascus versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Damascus $871
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Damascus versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Damascus $1,395
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,920 in Damascus versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Damascus $1,920
Nosara $3,712

Living in Damascus costs roughly 53% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Damascus is 35% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 SYP 1,200

$12.22 ₡5,509

-19.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.24 SYP 5,133

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-29.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 SYP 830

$7.54 ₡3,399

-9.42%

Cappuccino

$3.75 SYP 456

$4.31 ₡1,941

-12.99%

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

$2.30 SYP 279

$1.72 ₡773

33.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 SYP 108

$1.35 ₡608

-34.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SYP 241

$3.24 ₡1,459

-38.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 SYP 472

$4.48 ₡2,018

-13.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 SYP 132

$1.57 ₡707

-31.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 SYP 50.9

$3.17 ₡1,429

-86.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 SYP 184

$2.42 ₡1,091

-37.19%

Eggs

$1.63 SYP 198

$3.57 ₡1,609

-54.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.93 SYP 478

$7.43 ₡3,349

-47.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 SYP 709

$10.42 ₡4,697

-43.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.84 SYP 1,682

$13.66 ₡6,156

1.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$2.32 ₡1,044

-55.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 171

$1.61 ₡728

-12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 SYP 134

$4.74 ₡2,138

-76.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 SYP 129

$1.66 ₡747

-36.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 SYP 90.0

$3.72 ₡1,679

-80.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 96.4

$3.57 ₡1,611

-77.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 SYP 49.31

$1.10 ₡497

-62.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SYP 76.0

$2.55 ₡1,149

-75.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 SYP 341

$4.95 ₡2,232

-43.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 SYP 727

$20.01 ₡9,020

-70.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SYP 134

$2.79 ₡1,256

-60.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 SYP 346

$3.53 ₡1,589

-19.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 SYP 28.03

$1.19 ₡537

-80.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.93 SYP 1,206

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-86.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 SYP 125

$2.24 ₡1,011

-54.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 SYP 186

$1.55 ₡701

-1.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 SYP 923

$8.86 ₡3,993

-14.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.61 SYP 439

$1.57 ₡708

129.94%

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

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

$21.8K ₡9.8M

-30.94%

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

$19.5K SYP 2.4M

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-43.83%

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

$139 SYP 16.9K

$93.5 ₡42.1K

48.57%

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

$9.84 SYP 1,196

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-71.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.66 SYP 5,548

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-11.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.55 SYP 3,470

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-60.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.47 SYP 1,029

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-76.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 SYP 685

$7.84 ₡3,535

-28.06%

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

$67.7 SYP 8,221

$490 ₡220.7K

-86.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,816 SYP 220.7K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-84.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.35 SYP 3,445

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-47.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.84 SYP 4,841

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-28.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 SYP 7,224

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-24.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 SYP 6,955

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 SYP 63.9K

$786 ₡354.3K

-33.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 SYP 22.6K

$780 ₡351.6K

-76.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SYP 102.1K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-78.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 SYP 56.9K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-66.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,742 SYP 211.7K

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-75.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$607 SYP 73.8K

$1,201 ₡541.3K

-49.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$73.4 SYP 8,916

$876 ₡395.0K

-91.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

8.62

65.31%

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

Last update for Damascus: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Damascus

$194 22.4%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 7.3% $14

Accommodation & Living

Damascus

$186 21.4%

Nosara

$780 43% 320% $594

Eating Out

Damascus

$175 20.2%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 19.7% $35

Groceries & Markets

Damascus

$170 19.6%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 106% $180

Clothing & Footwear

Damascus

$83 9.6%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 44.7% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Damascus

$40 4.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 119% $47

Getting Around

Damascus

$20 2.3%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 345% $67

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $526 in Damascus and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 1094% 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: $42.00 in Damascus vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $350 per month, with Damascus cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇾 Damascus

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:05 4:05 AM

19:05 7:05 PM

9 h behind Damascus

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,414,913 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

Syrian Pound SYP £

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD

1,000 SYP = 7.34 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to SYP – Syrian Pound Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇾 Syrian Pound (£)

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 SYP (1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 136 SYP (1,000 SYP = 7.34 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to SYP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Damascus Nosara 12,210 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Damascus
Nosara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Damascus and Nosara differ by about 111% in total monthly costs ($871 vs $1,837 including rent). Damascus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1094% lower in Nosara. 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: $526 in Damascus versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Damascus – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $871 per month in Damascus versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $871 in Damascus versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Damascus but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Damascus 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.

Safety-wise, Damascus and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Damascus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.