Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Damascus Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Damascus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $596 in Mogadishu versus $723 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $925 in Mogadishu versus $1,081 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,253 in Mogadishu versus $1,439 in Damascus.

Living in Mogadishu costs roughly 18% less than in Damascus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mogadishu 56% lower, Damascus 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 SOS 1,930

$6.07 SYP 670

-43.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.86 SOS 10.1K

$27.25 SYP 3,011

-34.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 SOS 2,506

$5.45 SYP 602

-19.08%

Cappuccino

$1.48 SOS 841

$1.49 SYP 165

-0.67%

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

$0.48 SOS 271

$1.12 SYP 124

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 189

$0.72 SYP 80.0

-54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 SOS 2,233

$1.62 SYP 179

142.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.97 SOS 8,505

$2.46 SYP 272

508.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 822

$0.98 SYP 108

47.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 764

$0.62 SYP 69.0

117.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 SOS 510

$1.70 SYP 188

-47.06%

Eggs

$1.90 SOS 1,082

$1.88 SYP 208

1.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.02 SOS 2,851

$3.04 SYP 336

65.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 SOS 2,227

$7.67 SYP 847

-48.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 SOS 2,813

$11.26 SYP 1,244

-56.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 SOS 1,891

$0.92 SYP 102

261.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 SOS 560

$1.79 SYP 198

-44.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,836

$1.00 SYP 110

223.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 772

$0.87 SYP 96.6

56.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SOS 701

$0.66 SYP 72.7

86.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 858

$0.65 SYP 72.2

132.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SOS 774

$0.38 SYP 41.96

257.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SOS 295

$0.57 SYP 63.3

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 SOS 691

$3.03 SYP 335

-59.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 SYP 663

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SOS 1,148

$0.98 SYP 109

106.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SYP 201

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.10 SYP 11.54

380.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.69 SOS 11.2K

$17.18 SYP 1,899

14.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SOS 582

$0.98 SYP 109

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 SOS 347

$1.26 SYP 139

-51.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 SOS 3,714

$6.39 SYP 706

2.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 SOS 571

$3.59 SYP 397

-71.87%

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

$7,566 SOS 4.3M

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

-59.18%

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

$6,238 SOS 3.5M

$21.2K SYP 2.3M

-70.57%

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

$84.1 SOS 47.8K

$103 SYP 11.4K

-18.56%

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

$5.12 SOS 2,909

$8.22 SYP 908

-37.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 SOS 33.1K

$54.6 SYP 6,036

6.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.42 SOS 17.8K

$15.20 SYP 1,679

106.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 SOS 5,988

$7.41 SYP 819

42.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.07 SYP 339

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

$50.4 SOS 28.7K

$43.11 SYP 4,763

17.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$571 SOS 324.3K

$1,799 SYP 198.8K

-68.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.51 SOS 9,948

$29.40 SYP 3,248

-40.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.48 SOS 13.9K

$26.02 SYP 2,876

-5.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.72 SOS 15.2K

$45.85 SYP 5,067

-41.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 SOS 34.0K

$56.4 SYP 6,230

6.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.7K

$259 SYP 28.6K

-39.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 SOS 39.0K

$169 SYP 18.6K

-59.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.4K

$522 SYP 57.7K

-10.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 SOS 103.6K

$290 SYP 32.1K

-37.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,232 SOS 1.8M

$1,694 SYP 187.2K

90.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 SOS 1.4M

$598 SYP 66.1K

307.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 SOS 147.7K

$44.01 SYP 4,863

490.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

-41.82%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mogadishu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Damascus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Mogadishu and $259 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mogadishu pays 491% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Mogadishu vs $27.00 in Damascus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $168 per month, with Mogadishu cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mogadishu vs Damascus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mogadishu and Damascus differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($596 vs $723 including rent). Mogadishu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mogadishu pays 491% 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: $158 in Mogadishu versus $259 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mogadishu – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $27.00 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $596 per month in Mogadishu versus $723 in Damascus – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Mogadishu 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 Mogadishu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.