Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Tartus Cost of Living Comparison Between Damascus and Tartus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $723 in Damascus versus $481 in Tartus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,081 in Damascus versus $740 in Tartus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,439 in Damascus versus $999 in Tartus.

Living in Damascus is roughly 50% more expensive than Tartus, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Damascus 46% lower, Tartus 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.07 SYP 670

$6.05 SYP 669

0.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.25 SYP 3,011

$27.02 SYP 2,986

0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 SYP 602

$5.38 SYP 594

1.30%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 165

$0.76 SYP 84.4

96.05%

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

$1.12 SYP 124

$1.14 SYP 126

-1.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 SYP 80.0

$0.72 SYP 79.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SYP 179

$1.56 SYP 172

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SYP 272

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 SYP 108

$1.00 SYP 111

-2.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 SYP 69.0

$0.58 SYP 64.2

6.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 SYP 188

$1.53 SYP 169

11.11%

Eggs

$1.88 SYP 208

$1.36 SYP 150

38.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 SYP 336

$3.13 SYP 346

-2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 SYP 847

$7.69 SYP 850

-0.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 SYP 1,244

$7.93 SYP 876

41.99%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 SYP 102

$0.87 SYP 95.8

5.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SYP 198

$1.24 SYP 137

44.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 SYP 110

$1.03 SYP 114

-2.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 SYP 96.6

$0.95 SYP 104

-8.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 72.7

$0.63 SYP 69.4

4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 SYP 72.2

$0.66 SYP 73.0

-1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 41.96

$0.38 SYP 41.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SYP 63.3

$0.62 SYP 68.3

-8.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 SYP 335

$3.04 SYP 336

-0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 SYP 663

$5.80 SYP 640

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 109

$0.98 SYP 108

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SYP 201

$1.83 SYP 202

-0.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.18 SYP 1,899

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 109

$0.62 SYP 69.0

58.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 SYP 139

$1.22 SYP 134

3.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 SYP 706

$6.58 SYP 727

-2.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.59 SYP 397

$1.18 SYP 131

204.24%

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

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

0.13%

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

$21.2K SYP 2.3M

$20.8K SYP 2.3M

1.96%

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

$103 SYP 11.4K

$102 SYP 11.3K

1.34%

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

$8.22 SYP 908

$8.44 SYP 933

-2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 SYP 6,036

$35.28 SYP 3,898

54.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.20 SYP 1,679

$11.96 SYP 1,322

27.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 SYP 819

Cinema Ticket

$3.07 SYP 339

$3.04 SYP 336

0.99%

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

$43.11 SYP 4,763

$43.54 SYP 4,811

-0.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,799 SYP 198.8K

$1,838 SYP 203.1K

-2.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.40 SYP 3,248

$20.10 SYP 2,221

46.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 SYP 2,876

$25.63 SYP 2,832

1.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.85 SYP 5,067

$45.41 SYP 5,018

0.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 SYP 6,230

$40.25 SYP 4,447

40.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 SYP 28.6K

$98.8 SYP 10.9K

162.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 SYP 18.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 SYP 57.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SYP 32.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,694 SYP 187.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$598 SYP 66.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$44.01 SYP 4,863

$50.8 SYP 5,607

-13.28%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tartus: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $259 in Damascus and $98.8 in Tartus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tartus pays 15% 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 $27.00 in Tartus. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $152, with Tartus cheaper for home cooking.

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 Tartus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Damascus and Tartus differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($723 vs $481 including rent). Tartus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Tartus earns 15% 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 $98.8 in Tartus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $43.11 in Damascus versus $43.54 in Tartus. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tartus – a meal for two runs $27.00 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 Tartus 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 Tartus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.