Cost of Living Comparison Between Homs and Damascus Cost of Living Comparison Between Homs and Damascus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $479 in Homs versus $859 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $688 in Homs versus $1,394 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $897 in Homs versus $1,928 in Damascus.

Living in Homs costs roughly 44% less than in Damascus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Homs 65% lower, Damascus 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 SYP 369

$10.17 SYP 1,235

-70.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.86 SYP 1,441

$44.45 SYP 5,402

-73.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 SYP 558

$7.14 SYP 868

-35.71%

Cappuccino

$0.45 SYP 54.4

$3.63 SYP 441

-87.60%

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

$2.31 SYP 281

$2.28 SYP 277

1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 SYP 58.0

$0.87 SYP 105

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 SYP 236

$1.93 SYP 235

0.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 SYP 369

$2.95 SYP 359

3.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 SYP 80.3

$1.05 SYP 127

-37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 49.90

$0.41 SYP 50.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 SYP 137

$1.66 SYP 201

-32.53%

Eggs

$1.54 SYP 188

$1.55 SYP 188

-0.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.33 SYP 405

$4.01 SYP 488

-16.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 SYP 483

$5.66 SYP 688

-29.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 SYP 1,184

$13.83 SYP 1,680

-29.57%

Apples (1kg)

$0.54 SYP 65.2

$1.08 SYP 131

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 SYP 146

$1.40 SYP 170

-13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 SYP 70.0

$1.09 SYP 132

-46.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.29 SYP 35.53

$1.05 SYP 128

-72.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 SYP 57.8

$0.75 SYP 91.3

-36.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 SYP 90.7

$0.74 SYP 90.3

1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 SYP 44.19

$0.44 SYP 53.2

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 SYP 52.7

$0.61 SYP 74.1

-29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 SYP 179

$2.80 SYP 340

-47.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.85 SYP 468

$6.02 SYP 731

-36.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 SYP 87.8

$1.05 SYP 128

-31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SYP 353

$2.97 SYP 361

-2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 SYP 27.98

$0.23 SYP 28.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.22 SYP 1,850

$10.04 SYP 1,220

51.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.02 SYP 123

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 SYP 180

$1.54 SYP 187

-3.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 SYP 245

$7.78 SYP 945

-74.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 SYP 125

$3.60 SYP 437

-71.39%

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

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

0.32%

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

$12.9K SYP 1.6M

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

-32.02%

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

$98.1 SYP 11.9K

$140 SYP 17.1K

-30.11%

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

$6.67 SYP 811

$9.76 SYP 1,187

-31.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.36 SYP 5,512

$47.06 SYP 5,719

-3.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.17 SYP 1,236

$27.69 SYP 3,365

-63.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.73 SYP 1,061

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 SYP 649

$5.55 SYP 675

-3.78%

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

$65.8 SYP 7,990

$67.0 SYP 8,146

-1.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$982 SYP 119.3K

$1,751 SYP 212.8K

-43.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$4.92 SYP 597

$28.35 SYP 3,445

-82.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.05 SYP 1,221

$40.54 SYP 4,927

-75.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 SYP 7,266

$60.1 SYP 7,297

-0.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.81 SYP 3,744

$58.3 SYP 7,084

-47.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$49.94 SYP 6,068

$523 SYP 63.5K

-90.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$34.35 SYP 4,174

$186 SYP 22.7K

-81.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$102 SYP 12.4K

$829 SYP 100.8K

-87.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$56.1 SYP 6,816

$437 SYP 53.1K

-87.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,723 SYP 209.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 SYP 73.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$73.8 SYP 8,964

$70.9 SYP 8,617

4.03%

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 Homs: September 7, 2026

Last update for Damascus: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $49.94 in Homs and $523 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Homs pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Homs vs $44.00 in Damascus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $121 vs $169 per month, with Homs 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

Homs vs Damascus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Homs and Damascus differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($479 vs $859 including rent). Homs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Homs, 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: $49.94 in Homs versus $523 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Homs – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $44.00 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $479 per month in Homs versus $859 in Damascus – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $479 in Homs versus $859 in Damascus, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Homs but tight or insufficient in Damascus. The gap between the two cities makes Homs 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 Homs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.