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: $427 in Homs versus $723 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in Homs versus $1,081 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $850 in Homs versus $1,439 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 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 SYP 330

$6.07 SYP 670

-50.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.12 SYP 1,339

$27.25 SYP 3,011

-55.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 SYP 437

$5.45 SYP 602

-27.52%

Cappuccino

$0.99 SYP 109

$1.49 SYP 165

-33.56%

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

$0.67 SYP 73.7

$1.12 SYP 124

-40.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 SYP 48.73

$0.72 SYP 80.0

-38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 SYP 91.3

$1.62 SYP 179

-48.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 109

$2.46 SYP 272

-60.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 SYP 74.2

$0.98 SYP 108

-31.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 65.0

$0.62 SYP 69.0

-4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 SYP 125

$1.70 SYP 188

-33.53%

Eggs

$1.85 SYP 204

$1.88 SYP 208

-1.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.70 SYP 299

$3.04 SYP 336

-11.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 SYP 620

$7.67 SYP 847

-26.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 SYP 1,234

$11.26 SYP 1,244

-0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$0.67 SYP 73.9

$0.92 SYP 102

-27.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 SYP 157

$1.79 SYP 198

-20.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.48 SYP 52.8

$1.00 SYP 110

-52.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.32 SYP 34.88

$0.87 SYP 96.6

-63.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 SYP 62.5

$0.66 SYP 72.7

-13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 73.0

$0.65 SYP 72.2

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 SYP 41.38

$0.38 SYP 41.96

-2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SYP 64.2

$0.57 SYP 63.3

1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 SYP 167

$3.03 SYP 335

-50.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.68 SYP 406

$6.00 SYP 663

-38.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 SYP 97.7

$0.98 SYP 109

-10.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 108

$1.82 SYP 201

-46.15%

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)

$1.02 SYP 113

$0.98 SYP 109

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 SYP 112

$1.26 SYP 139

-19.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 SYP 170

$6.39 SYP 706

-75.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 SYP 140

$3.59 SYP 397

-64.90%

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

$18.3K SYP 2.0M

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

-1.34%

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

$21.1K SYP 2.3M

$21.2K SYP 2.3M

-0.31%

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

$104 SYP 11.4K

$103 SYP 11.4K

0.24%

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

$6.05 SYP 669

$8.22 SYP 908

-26.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.71 SYP 1,625

$54.6 SYP 6,036

-73.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.15 SYP 1,121

$15.20 SYP 1,679

-33.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.88 SYP 540

$7.41 SYP 819

-34.14%

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 SYP 323

$3.07 SYP 339

-4.56%

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

$43.65 SYP 4,823

$43.11 SYP 4,763

1.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,825 SYP 201.7K

$1,799 SYP 198.8K

1.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.92 SYP 1,649

$29.40 SYP 3,248

-49.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.43 SYP 1,374

$26.02 SYP 2,876

-52.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.88 SYP 5,069

$45.85 SYP 5,067

0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 SYP 6,255

$56.4 SYP 6,230

0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 SYP 8,444

$259 SYP 28.6K

-70.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$35.68 SYP 3,943

$169 SYP 18.6K

-78.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 SYP 32.7K

$522 SYP 57.7K

-43.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.82 SYP 5,505

$290 SYP 32.1K

-82.85%

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)

$73.3 SYP 8,095

$44.01 SYP 4,863

66.44%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Damascus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.4 in Homs and $259 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Homs pays 66% 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 $135 vs $168 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 69% in total monthly costs ($427 vs $723 including rent). Homs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Homs pays 66% more on average, 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 $259 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $43.65 in Homs versus $43.11 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 69% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.