Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Homs and Damascus

For one person, living is cheaper in Homs: $524 a month against $870 in Damascus, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Homs
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Homs Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Damascus
Learn more

Damascus Living Index

Jump to prices

Homs

🇸🇾 Syria

$524

/mo nomad

Damascus

🇸🇾 Syria

$870

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Homs and in Damascus

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Homs and in Damascus actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $524 in Homs versus $870 in Damascus.

Homs $524
Damascus $870

Estimated couple costs with rent: $791 in Homs versus $1,410 in Damascus.

Homs $791
Damascus $1,410

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,058 in Homs versus $1,951 in Damascus.

Homs $1,058
Damascus $1,951

Living in Homs costs roughly 40% less than in Damascus, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Homs 62% lower, Damascus 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 SYP 375

$10.19 SYP 1,238

-69.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.94 SYP 1,450

$43.30 SYP 5,261

-72.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 SYP 827

Cappuccino

$0.56 SYP 68.6

$3.79 SYP 461

-85.22%

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

$2.18 SYP 265

$2.28 SYP 277

-4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 SYP 63.4

$0.81 SYP 98.9

-35.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 SYP 237

$1.93 SYP 235

1.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 SYP 492

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 SYP 94.9

$1.10 SYP 134

-29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 50.2

$0.39 SYP 47.13

5.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 SYP 192

$1.52 SYP 185

3.95%

Eggs

$1.56 SYP 190

$1.56 SYP 189

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.95 SYP 480

$4.01 SYP 488

-1.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 SYP 708

$5.61 SYP 682

3.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 SYP 1,481

$14.05 SYP 1,707

-13.24%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 SYP 68.2

$1.07 SYP 129

-47.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 SYP 174

$1.41 SYP 171

1.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.62 SYP 75.3

$1.09 SYP 132

-43.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.34 SYP 40.71

$1.05 SYP 128

-67.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 SYP 65.9

$0.80 SYP 97.0

-32.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 SYP 99.3

$0.76 SYP 92.9

7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 SYP 35.70

$0.40 SYP 49.10

-27.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SYP 79.9

$0.62 SYP 75.3

6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 SYP 181

$2.72 SYP 331

-45.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.80 SYP 461

$5.98 SYP 727

-36.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 SYP 86.5

$1.09 SYP 133

-34.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 SYP 360

$2.94 SYP 358

0.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 SYP 24.77

$0.21 SYP 25.45

-4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.82 SYP 1,801

$10.15 SYP 1,233

46.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SYP 123

$1.02 SYP 124

-0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 SYP 179

$1.53 SYP 186

-3.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 SYP 250

$7.90 SYP 960

-74.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 SYP 150

$3.68 SYP 447

-66.58%

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

$12.9K SYP 1.6M

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

-14.86%

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

$19.1K SYP 2.3M

$18.9K SYP 2.3M

1.33%

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

$91.3 SYP 11.1K

$140 SYP 17.0K

-34.68%

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

$9.40 SYP 1,142

$9.39 SYP 1,141

0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.45 SYP 5,643

$45.50 SYP 5,528

2.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.20 SYP 1,239

$27.57 SYP 3,350

-63.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.41 SYP 1,022

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 SYP 651

$5.46 SYP 663

-1.83%

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

$54.5 SYP 6,627

$65.4 SYP 7,951

-16.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$897 SYP 109.0K

$1,770 SYP 215.0K

-49.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$5.02 SYP 610

$28.26 SYP 3,433

-82.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.65 SYP 2,388

$40.49 SYP 4,920

-51.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 SYP 7,393

$59.7 SYP 7,252

1.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.64 SYP 3,723

$58.6 SYP 7,116

-47.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 SYP 15.4K

$516 SYP 62.7K

-75.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.0 SYP 6,318

$186 SYP 22.6K

-72.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 SYP 41.9K

$846 SYP 102.8K

-59.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 SYP 16.7K

$462 SYP 56.2K

-70.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,713 SYP 208.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$598 SYP 72.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$73.3 SYP 8,904

$79.5 SYP 9,664

-7.86%

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Damascus: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Homs

$147 28.1%

Damascus

$195 22.4% 32.3% $48

Groceries & Markets

Homs

$147 28.1%

Damascus

$169 19.5% 15% $22

Eating Out

Homs

$81 15.4%

Damascus

$178 20.4% 121% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Homs

$52 10%

Damascus

$84 9.7% 61% $32

Accommodation & Living

Homs

$52 9.9%

Damascus

$186 21.4% 258% $134

Getting Around

Homs

$24 4.6%

Damascus

$20 2.3% 18.1% $4.3

Sport & Entertainment

Homs

$21 4%

Damascus

$38 4.4% 84% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Homs and $516 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Damascus pays 9% 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: $12 in Homs vs $43 in Damascus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $169 per month, with Homs cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇾 Homs

🇸🇾 Damascus

🕒 Local time

19:46 7:46 PM

Same time as Homs

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

652,609

1,414,913 Capital

💱 Currency

Syrian Pound SYP £

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD

1,000 SYP = 7.4 EUR

1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD

1,000 SYP = 7.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 66% in total monthly costs ($524 vs $870 including rent). Homs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Homs. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $127 in Homs versus $516 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 versus $43 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $524 per month in Homs versus $870 in Damascus – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Homs wins on affordability, Damascus on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.