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: $476 in Latakia versus $723 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $790 in Latakia versus $1,081 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,104 in Latakia versus $1,439 in Damascus.

Living in Latakia costs roughly 34% less than in Damascus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Latakia 65% lower, Damascus 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 SYP 525

$6.07 SYP 670

-21.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.68 SYP 2,175

$27.25 SYP 3,011

-27.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 SYP 565

$5.45 SYP 602

-6.24%

Cappuccino

$0.66 SYP 72.8

$1.49 SYP 165

-55.70%

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

$0.70 SYP 77.7

$1.12 SYP 124

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SYP 40.60

$0.72 SYP 80.0

-48.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 SYP 113

$1.62 SYP 179

-37.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 SYP 191

$2.46 SYP 272

-29.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 SYP 83.0

$0.98 SYP 108

-23.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 SYP 64.5

$0.62 SYP 69.0

-6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 SYP 110

$1.70 SYP 188

-41.76%

Eggs

$1.82 SYP 201

$1.88 SYP 208

-3.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.11 SYP 344

$3.04 SYP 336

2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 SYP 756

$7.67 SYP 847

-10.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.49 SYP 1,269

$11.26 SYP 1,244

2.04%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 SYP 98.0

$0.92 SYP 102

-3.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 SYP 116

$1.79 SYP 198

-41.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 SYP 76.4

$1.00 SYP 110

-31.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 SYP 64.6

$0.87 SYP 96.6

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 SYP 67.4

$0.66 SYP 72.7

-7.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 73.1

$0.65 SYP 72.2

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 44.24

$0.38 SYP 41.96

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SYP 69.0

$0.57 SYP 63.3

8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 SYP 324

$3.03 SYP 335

-3.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 SYP 556

$6.00 SYP 663

-16.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 SYP 103

$0.98 SYP 109

-5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SYP 204

$1.82 SYP 201

1.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.08 SYP 8.61

$0.10 SYP 11.54

-20.00%

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)

$0.52 SYP 57.8

$1.26 SYP 139

-58.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 SYP 733

$6.39 SYP 706

3.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 SYP 104

$3.59 SYP 397

-73.54%

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

$18.3K SYP 2.0M

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

-1.10%

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

$21.0K SYP 2.3M

$21.2K SYP 2.3M

-0.92%

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

$39.89 SYP 4,408

$103 SYP 11.4K

-61.37%

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

$8.31 SYP 918

$8.22 SYP 908

1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.37 SYP 5,234

$54.6 SYP 6,036

-13.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.25 SYP 1,353

$15.20 SYP 1,679

-19.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.02 SYP 444

$7.41 SYP 819

-45.75%

Cinema Ticket

$1.11 SYP 122

$3.07 SYP 339

-63.84%

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

$20.15 SYP 2,227

$43.11 SYP 4,763

-53.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,841 SYP 203.4K

$1,799 SYP 198.8K

2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.21 SYP 2,455

$29.40 SYP 3,248

-24.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.71 SYP 2,620

$26.02 SYP 2,876

-8.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.62 SYP 4,599

$45.85 SYP 5,067

-9.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.45 SYP 4,469

$56.4 SYP 6,230

-28.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 SYP 27.3K

$259 SYP 28.6K

-4.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.6 SYP 9,349

$169 SYP 18.6K

-49.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 SYP 51.6K

$522 SYP 57.7K

-10.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 SYP 27.1K

$290 SYP 32.1K

-15.53%

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)

$58.1 SYP 6,421

$44.01 SYP 4,863

32.04%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Damascus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $247 in Latakia and $259 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Latakia pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Latakia vs $27.00 in Damascus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $150 vs $168 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 52% in total monthly costs ($476 vs $723 including rent). Latakia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Latakia pays 32% 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: $247 in Latakia versus $259 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $20.15 in Latakia 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 Latakia – a meal for two runs $20.00 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 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 52% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.