Cost of Living Comparison Between Tartus and Damascus Cost of Living Comparison Between Tartus and Damascus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $481 in Tartus versus $723 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $740 in Tartus versus $1,081 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $999 in Tartus versus $1,439 in Damascus.

Living in Tartus costs roughly 33% less than in Damascus, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tartus 64% lower, Damascus 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.05 SYP 669

$6.07 SYP 670

-0.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.02 SYP 2,986

$27.25 SYP 3,011

-0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 SYP 594

$5.45 SYP 602

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$0.76 SYP 84.4

$1.49 SYP 165

-48.99%

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

$1.14 SYP 126

$1.12 SYP 124

1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 SYP 79.2

$0.72 SYP 80.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 SYP 172

$1.62 SYP 179

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SYP 272

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 SYP 111

$0.98 SYP 108

2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 SYP 64.2

$0.62 SYP 69.0

-6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 SYP 169

$1.70 SYP 188

-10.00%

Eggs

$1.36 SYP 150

$1.88 SYP 208

-27.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.13 SYP 346

$3.04 SYP 336

2.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.69 SYP 850

$7.67 SYP 847

0.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 SYP 876

$11.26 SYP 1,244

-29.57%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 SYP 95.8

$0.92 SYP 102

-5.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 SYP 137

$1.79 SYP 198

-30.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 114

$1.00 SYP 110

3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 SYP 104

$0.87 SYP 96.6

9.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 SYP 69.4

$0.66 SYP 72.7

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 73.0

$0.65 SYP 72.2

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 41.94

$0.38 SYP 41.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SYP 68.3

$0.57 SYP 63.3

8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 SYP 336

$3.03 SYP 335

0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 SYP 640

$6.00 SYP 663

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 108

$0.98 SYP 109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 SYP 202

$1.82 SYP 201

0.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.18 SYP 1,899

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 SYP 69.0

$0.98 SYP 109

-36.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SYP 134

$1.26 SYP 139

-3.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 SYP 727

$6.39 SYP 706

2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 SYP 131

$3.59 SYP 397

-67.13%

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

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

-0.13%

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

$20.8K SYP 2.3M

$21.2K SYP 2.3M

-1.92%

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

$102 SYP 11.3K

$103 SYP 11.4K

-1.33%

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

$8.44 SYP 933

$8.22 SYP 908

2.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.28 SYP 3,898

$54.6 SYP 6,036

-35.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.96 SYP 1,322

$15.20 SYP 1,679

-21.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 SYP 819

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 SYP 336

$3.07 SYP 339

-0.98%

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

$43.54 SYP 4,811

$43.11 SYP 4,763

1.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,838 SYP 203.1K

$1,799 SYP 198.8K

2.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.10 SYP 2,221

$29.40 SYP 3,248

-31.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.63 SYP 2,832

$26.02 SYP 2,876

-1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.41 SYP 5,018

$45.85 SYP 5,067

-0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.25 SYP 4,447

$56.4 SYP 6,230

-28.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.8 SYP 10.9K

$259 SYP 28.6K

-61.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 SYP 18.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 SYP 57.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SYP 32.1K

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)

$50.8 SYP 5,607

$44.01 SYP 4,863

15.31%

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 Tartus: June 1, 2026

Last update for Damascus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $98.8 in Tartus and $259 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tartus pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Tartus vs $27.00 in Damascus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $168 per month, with Tartus 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

Tartus vs Damascus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tartus and Damascus differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($481 vs $723 including rent). Tartus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tartus pays 15% 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: $98.8 in Tartus versus $259 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $43.54 in Tartus 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 Tartus – a meal for two runs $27.00 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 Tartus 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 Tartus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.