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: $429 in Homs versus $734 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $635 in Homs versus $1,085 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $841 in Homs versus $1,437 in Damascus.

Living in Homs costs roughly 41% less than in Damascus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Homs 68% lower, Damascus 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 SYP 371

$5.93 SYP 720

-48.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.03 SYP 1,462

$27.18 SYP 3,303

-55.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 SYP 495

$5.65 SYP 686

-27.96%

Cappuccino

$1.01 SYP 122

$1.49 SYP 182

-32.21%

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

$0.62 SYP 75.8

$1.12 SYP 136

-44.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SYP 50.1

$0.68 SYP 82.1

-39.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 SYP 108

$1.58 SYP 193

-44.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 SYP 123

$2.48 SYP 302

-59.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 SYP 76.2

$1.04 SYP 126

-39.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 SYP 72.6

$0.59 SYP 71.7

1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 SYP 138

$1.67 SYP 203

-32.34%

Eggs

$1.85 SYP 225

$1.92 SYP 233

-3.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.81 SYP 342

$3.02 SYP 367

-6.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 SYP 684

$7.54 SYP 917

-25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 SYP 1,347

$11.18 SYP 1,358

-0.89%

Apples (1kg)

$0.63 SYP 76.3

$0.88 SYP 107

-28.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 SYP 167

$1.79 SYP 218

-23.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.52 SYP 63.2

$1.03 SYP 125

-49.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.31 SYP 38.24

$0.94 SYP 114

-67.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 SYP 68.9

$0.61 SYP 74.2

-6.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 SYP 74.4

$0.66 SYP 79.8

-7.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 45.74

$0.40 SYP 49.06

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SYP 71.4

$0.61 SYP 74.6

-3.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 SYP 187

$3.05 SYP 371

-49.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.80 SYP 461

$8.20 SYP 996

-53.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 SYP 101

$0.98 SYP 119

-15.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 SYP 123

$1.75 SYP 212

-41.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.85 SYP 2,048

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SYP 123

$0.97 SYP 118

4.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 SYP 120

$1.21 SYP 147

-18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 SYP 179

$6.26 SYP 761

-76.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 SYP 149

$3.61 SYP 439

-65.93%

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

$18.2K SYP 2.2M

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

-2.38%

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

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

-0.81%

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

$101 SYP 12.2K

$102 SYP 12.3K

-0.95%

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

$5.90 SYP 716

$8.25 SYP 1,003

-28.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 SYP 1,833

$54.4 SYP 6,611

-72.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.87 SYP 1,199

$15.48 SYP 1,881

-36.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 SYP 596

$7.39 SYP 897

-33.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 SYP 375

$2.95 SYP 359

4.75%

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

$43.94 SYP 5,339

$43.49 SYP 5,285

1.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,835 SYP 223.0K

$1,804 SYP 219.2K

1.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.77 SYP 1,795

$29.75 SYP 3,615

-50.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.52 SYP 1,521

$25.42 SYP 3,089

-50.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.16 SYP 5,488

$45.65 SYP 5,548

-1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 SYP 6,760

$56.1 SYP 6,814

-0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 SYP 9,285

$265 SYP 32.2K

-71.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$35.14 SYP 4,271

$170 SYP 20.6K

-79.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 SYP 36.5K

$532 SYP 64.6K

-43.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.52 SYP 6,017

$281 SYP 34.2K

-82.40%

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)

$74.3 SYP 9,034

$59.5 SYP 7,235

24.88%

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 Homs: July 12, 2026

Last update for Damascus: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.4 in Homs and $265 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Homs pays 25% 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 $27.00 in Damascus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $134 vs $172 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 71% in total monthly costs ($429 vs $734 including rent). Homs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% 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: $76.4 in Homs versus $265 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $43.94 in Homs versus $43.49 in Damascus. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Homs – a meal for two runs $12.00 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 Homs 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 Homs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.