Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar'a and Damascus Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar'a and Damascus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $203 in Dar'a versus $734 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $396 in Dar'a versus $1,085 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $590 in Dar'a versus $1,437 in Damascus.

Living in Dar'a costs roughly 72% less than in Damascus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dar'a 85% lower, Damascus 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 SYP 360

$5.93 SYP 720

-50.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.22 SYP 1,850

$27.18 SYP 3,303

-44.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 SYP 686

Cappuccino

$0.97 SYP 118

$1.49 SYP 182

-34.90%

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

$0.74 SYP 89.6

$1.12 SYP 136

-33.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 SYP 62.9

$0.68 SYP 82.1

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SYP 193

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SYP 302

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 SYP 63.3

$1.04 SYP 126

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 SYP 34.77

$0.59 SYP 71.7

-50.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 SYP 142

$1.67 SYP 203

-29.94%

Eggs

$1.23 SYP 149

$1.92 SYP 233

-35.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.90 SYP 473

$3.02 SYP 367

29.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 SYP 393

$7.54 SYP 917

-57.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 SYP 807

$11.18 SYP 1,358

-40.61%

Apples (1kg)

$0.29 SYP 34.74

$0.88 SYP 107

-67.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 SYP 148

$1.79 SYP 218

-31.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.62 SYP 75.1

$1.03 SYP 125

-39.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.31 SYP 37.73

$0.94 SYP 114

-67.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 SYP 46.71

$0.61 SYP 74.2

-37.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.24 SYP 28.94

$0.66 SYP 79.8

-63.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 SYP 34.30

$0.40 SYP 49.06

-30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SYP 62.3

$0.61 SYP 74.6

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 SYP 270

$3.05 SYP 371

-27.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 SYP 996

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SYP 212

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 SYP 30.35

$0.10 SYP 11.69

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.85 SYP 2,048

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 SYP 118

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 SYP 185

$1.21 SYP 147

25.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 SYP 481

$6.26 SYP 761

-36.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 SYP 201

$3.61 SYP 439

-54.02%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

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

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

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

$102 SYP 12.3K

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

$8.25 SYP 1,003

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 SYP 6,611

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$3.53 SYP 429

$15.48 SYP 1,881

-77.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.07 SYP 737

$7.39 SYP 897

-17.86%

Cinema Ticket

$2.91 SYP 354

$2.95 SYP 359

-1.36%

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

$43.49 SYP 5,285

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,804 SYP 219.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.13 SYP 1,231

$29.75 SYP 3,615

-65.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.25 SYP 3,069

$25.42 SYP 3,089

-0.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.65 SYP 5,548

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$16.96 SYP 2,061

$56.1 SYP 6,814

-69.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$49.38 SYP 6,001

$265 SYP 32.2K

-81.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$34.67 SYP 4,213

$170 SYP 20.6K

-79.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 SYP 24.0K

$532 SYP 64.6K

-62.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 SYP 15.2K

$281 SYP 34.2K

-55.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,714 SYP 208.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$596 SYP 72.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$59.5 SYP 7,235

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 Dar'a: July 11, 2026

Last update for Damascus: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $49.38 in Dar'a and $265 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15.00 in Dar'a vs $27.00 in Damascus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $87.0 vs $172 per month, with Dar'a cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Dar'a vs Damascus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dar'a and Damascus differ by about 262% in total monthly costs ($203 vs $734 including rent). Dar'a is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $304 in Dar'a and $1,101 in Damascus to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $49.38 in Dar'a versus $265 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dar'a – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $27.00 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $203 per month in Dar'a versus $734 in Damascus – a 262% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Dar'a 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 Dar'a gentler on the wallet – expenses run 262% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.