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: $600 in Mogadishu versus $734 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $944 in Mogadishu versus $1,085 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,289 in Mogadishu versus $1,437 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 55% lower, Damascus 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 SOS 2,016

$5.93 SYP 720

-40.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.03 SOS 10.2K

$27.18 SYP 3,303

-33.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 SOS 2,487

$5.65 SYP 686

-22.48%

Cappuccino

$1.47 SOS 835

$1.49 SYP 182

-1.34%

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

$0.49 SOS 278

$1.12 SYP 136

-56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 187

$0.68 SYP 82.1

-51.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 SOS 2,293

$1.58 SYP 193

155.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$15.09 SOS 8,570

$2.48 SYP 302

508.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 822

$1.04 SYP 126

39.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 768

$0.59 SYP 71.7

128.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 SOS 528

$1.67 SYP 203

-44.31%

Eggs

$1.91 SOS 1,087

$1.92 SYP 233

-0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 SOS 2,865

$3.02 SYP 367

66.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 SOS 2,305

$7.54 SYP 917

-46.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.01 SOS 2,847

$11.18 SYP 1,358

-55.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 SOS 1,972

$0.88 SYP 107

294.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 SOS 551

$1.79 SYP 218

-45.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,834

$1.03 SYP 125

213.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 772

$0.94 SYP 114

44.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SOS 676

$0.61 SYP 74.2

95.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 860

$0.66 SYP 79.8

128.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SOS 762

$0.40 SYP 49.06

235.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.61 SYP 74.6

-21.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.21 SOS 688

$3.05 SYP 371

-60.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 SYP 996

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SOS 1,128

$0.98 SYP 119

103.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SYP 212

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 274

$0.10 SYP 11.69

380.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.18 SOS 11.5K

$16.85 SYP 2,048

19.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SOS 575

$0.97 SYP 118

4.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 SOS 330

$1.21 SYP 147

-52.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 SOS 3,646

$6.26 SYP 761

2.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 SOS 579

$3.61 SYP 439

-71.75%

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

$7,519 SOS 4.3M

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

-59.56%

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

$6,136 SOS 3.5M

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

-70.59%

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

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

$102 SYP 12.3K

-16.90%

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

$5.04 SOS 2,860

$8.25 SYP 1,003

-38.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 SOS 32.4K

$54.4 SYP 6,611

4.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.90 SOS 17.6K

$15.48 SYP 1,881

99.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.41 SOS 5,912

$7.39 SYP 897

40.87%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 SYP 359

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

$49.70 SOS 28.2K

$43.49 SYP 5,285

14.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$577 SOS 327.5K

$1,804 SYP 219.2K

-68.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.37 SOS 9,864

$29.75 SYP 3,615

-41.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.39 SOS 13.9K

$25.42 SYP 3,089

-4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.34 SOS 15.0K

$45.65 SYP 5,548

-42.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 SOS 34.3K

$56.1 SYP 6,814

7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.5K

$265 SYP 32.2K

-40.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.7 SOS 37.9K

$170 SYP 20.6K

-60.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.9K

$532 SYP 64.6K

-12.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 SOS 100.3K

$281 SYP 34.2K

-37.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,226 SOS 1.8M

$1,714 SYP 208.3K

88.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,405 SOS 1.4M

$596 SYP 72.5K

303.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 SOS 148.6K

$59.5 SYP 7,235

339.58%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Damascus: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Mogadishu and $265 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mogadishu pays 340% 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 $160 vs $172 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 22% in total monthly costs ($600 vs $734 including rent). Mogadishu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 340% higher in Mogadishu, 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 $265 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 $600 per month in Mogadishu versus $734 in Damascus – a 22% 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 22% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.