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: $875 in Damascus versus $637 in Tartus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,389 in Damascus versus $990 in Tartus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Damascus versus $1,344 in Tartus.

Living in Damascus is roughly 37% more expensive than in Tartus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Damascus 36% lower, Tartus 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 SYP 1,232

$10.01 SYP 1,217

1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.44 SYP 5,400

$45.16 SYP 5,487

-1.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 SYP 836

$6.95 SYP 844

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.79 SYP 461

$3.60 SYP 438

5.28%

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

$2.20 SYP 267

$2.29 SYP 279

-3.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 SYP 105

$0.81 SYP 98.9

6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 SYP 227

$1.94 SYP 236

-3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SYP 360

$2.95 SYP 359

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 SYP 127

$0.48 SYP 58.7

116.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 49.82

$0.41 SYP 50.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 SYP 200

$0.78 SYP 95.3

110.26%

Eggs

$1.62 SYP 197

$0.86 SYP 104

88.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 SYP 464

$3.83 SYP 466

-0.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 SYP 675

$3.07 SYP 372

81.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.82 SYP 1,679

$13.56 SYP 1,647

1.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 SYP 129

$1.03 SYP 125

2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 SYP 167

$1.38 SYP 167

-0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 SYP 132

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 SYP 128

$0.22 SYP 26.60

381.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 SYP 97.6

$0.22 SYP 26.60

263.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 SYP 91.5

$0.30 SYP 36.32

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 SYP 49.63

$0.40 SYP 48.53

2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SYP 75.3

$0.61 SYP 74.6

1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 SYP 334

$2.74 SYP 333

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 SYP 740

$6.03 SYP 732

1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 SYP 135

$1.10 SYP 134

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 SYP 344

$2.85 SYP 347

-0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 SYP 25.45

$0.32 SYP 39.34

-34.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.17 SYP 1,236

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 SYP 125

$0.99 SYP 120

4.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 SYP 183

$1.48 SYP 180

1.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 SYP 948

$7.76 SYP 942

0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.79 SYP 461

$3.65 SYP 443

3.84%

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

$14.7K SYP 1.8M

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

-1.97%

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

$19.1K SYP 2.3M

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

1.99%

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

$141 SYP 17.1K

$142 SYP 17.2K

-0.58%

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

$9.65 SYP 1,172

$9.67 SYP 1,175

-0.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.34 SYP 5,509

$19.64 SYP 2,386

130.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.63 SYP 3,357

$5.80 SYP 704

376.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 SYP 1,024

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 SYP 687

$5.45 SYP 663

3.67%

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

$66.5 SYP 8,073

$9.56 SYP 1,161

595.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,755 SYP 213.2K

$1,801 SYP 218.8K

-2.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.44 SYP 3,456

$11.69 SYP 1,420

143.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 SYP 4,927

$39.82 SYP 4,838

1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 SYP 7,360

$45.71 SYP 5,554

32.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 SYP 7,063

$15.29 SYP 1,857

280.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 SYP 64.4K

$114 SYP 13.9K

364.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 SYP 22.5K

$76.3 SYP 9,268

143.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 SYP 101.7K

$233 SYP 28.4K

258.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 SYP 53.3K

$115 SYP 13.9K

282.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,748 SYP 212.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$609 SYP 74.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$72.0 SYP 8,752

$50.7 SYP 6,164

42.01%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tartus: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 in Damascus and $114 in Tartus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Damascus pays 42% 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: $44.00 in Damascus vs $45.00 in Tartus. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $135, 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 37% in total monthly costs ($875 vs $637 including rent). Tartus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 42% 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: $530 in Damascus versus $114 in Tartus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $66.5 in Damascus versus $9.56 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 $45.00 versus $44.00 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $637 in Tartus versus $875 in Damascus, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tartus but tight or insufficient in Damascus. The gap between the two cities makes Tartus 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 Tartus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.