Cost of Living Comparison Between Latakia and Damascus Cost of Living Comparison Between Latakia and Damascus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $478 in Latakia versus $731 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $794 in Latakia versus $1,090 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,109 in Latakia versus $1,449 in Damascus.

Living in Latakia costs roughly 35% less than in Damascus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Latakia 64% lower, Damascus 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 SYP 592

$6.06 SYP 737

-19.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.16 SYP 2,451

$27.69 SYP 3,365

-27.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 SYP 609

$5.56 SYP 676

-9.89%

Cappuccino

$0.62 SYP 75.7

$1.49 SYP 181

-58.39%

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

$0.74 SYP 90.1

$1.17 SYP 142

-36.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 SYP 43.84

$0.73 SYP 89.3

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.58 SYP 192

-35.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 SYP 202

$2.53 SYP 308

-34.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 SYP 98.3

$0.97 SYP 118

-16.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 SYP 77.6

$0.58 SYP 70.5

10.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 SYP 121

$1.74 SYP 212

-43.10%

Eggs

$1.90 SYP 230

$1.92 SYP 233

-1.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.16 SYP 384

$3.10 SYP 376

1.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 SYP 807

$7.44 SYP 905

-10.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 SYP 1,358

$11.45 SYP 1,391

-2.45%

Apples (1kg)

$0.81 SYP 99.0

$0.86 SYP 105

-5.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 SYP 123

$1.82 SYP 222

-44.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 SYP 84.7

$0.99 SYP 120

-29.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 SYP 77.8

$0.89 SYP 109

-28.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 SYP 76.2

$0.66 SYP 80.2

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 SYP 81.0

$0.62 SYP 75.1

8.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 49.02

$0.40 SYP 48.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SYP 70.2

$0.58 SYP 70.0

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 SYP 360

$2.96 SYP 359

0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.95 SYP 481

$7.90 SYP 960

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.02 SYP 124

-3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 SYP 222

$1.82 SYP 221

0.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.06 SYP 7.33

$0.10 SYP 12.20

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.23 SYP 2,094

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 119

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 SYP 58.6

$1.27 SYP 154

-62.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 SYP 768

$6.38 SYP 775

-0.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 SYP 106

$3.66 SYP 445

-76.23%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

-0.94%

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

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

-0.18%

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

$40.09 SYP 4,873

$103 SYP 12.5K

-60.93%

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

$8.38 SYP 1,018

$8.64 SYP 1,050

-3.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.58 SYP 5,661

$54.6 SYP 6,641

-14.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.06 SYP 1,466

$15.45 SYP 1,878

-21.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 SYP 480

$7.36 SYP 894

-46.33%

Cinema Ticket

$1.06 SYP 129

$2.97 SYP 361

-64.31%

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

$20.51 SYP 2,493

$42.91 SYP 5,215

-52.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,795 SYP 218.2K

$1,836 SYP 223.2K

-2.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.58 SYP 2,623

$29.54 SYP 3,591

-26.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.34 SYP 2,958

$25.39 SYP 3,086

-4.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.34 SYP 5,025

$44.45 SYP 5,403

-7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.72 SYP 5,071

$56.7 SYP 6,896

-26.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 SYP 30.2K

$269 SYP 32.6K

-7.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.4 SYP 10.3K

$173 SYP 21.0K

-51.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 SYP 57.4K

$521 SYP 63.3K

-9.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 SYP 29.3K

$290 SYP 35.3K

-17.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$708 SYP 86.1K

$1,747 SYP 212.4K

-59.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$252 SYP 30.7K

$596 SYP 72.4K

-57.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$58.1 SYP 7,061

$60.2 SYP 7,319

-3.52%

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 Latakia: July 21, 2026

Last update for Damascus: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $249 in Latakia and $269 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Damascus pays 4% 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: $20.00 in Latakia vs $28.00 in Damascus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $171 per month, with Latakia 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

Latakia vs Damascus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Latakia and Damascus differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($478 vs $731 including rent). Latakia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Damascus. 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: $249 in Latakia versus $269 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $20.51 in Latakia versus $42.91 in Damascus. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Latakia – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $28.00 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 Latakia 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 Latakia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.