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: $637 in Tartus versus $875 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Tartus versus $1,389 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,344 in Tartus versus $1,903 in Damascus.

Living in Tartus costs roughly 27% less than in Damascus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tartus 53% lower, Damascus 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.01 SYP 1,217

$10.14 SYP 1,232

-1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.16 SYP 5,487

$44.44 SYP 5,400

1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 SYP 844

$6.88 SYP 836

1.02%

Cappuccino

$3.60 SYP 438

$3.79 SYP 461

-5.01%

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

$2.29 SYP 279

$2.20 SYP 267

4.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 SYP 98.9

$0.86 SYP 105

-5.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 SYP 236

$1.87 SYP 227

3.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 SYP 359

$2.97 SYP 360

-0.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.48 SYP 58.7

$1.04 SYP 127

-53.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 50.2

$0.41 SYP 49.82

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 SYP 95.3

$1.64 SYP 200

-52.44%

Eggs

$0.86 SYP 104

$1.62 SYP 197

-46.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 SYP 466

$3.82 SYP 464

0.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 SYP 372

$5.56 SYP 675

-44.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 SYP 1,647

$13.82 SYP 1,679

-1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$1.06 SYP 129

-2.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SYP 167

$1.37 SYP 167

0.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 SYP 132

Tomato (1kg)

$0.22 SYP 26.60

$1.06 SYP 128

-79.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.22 SYP 26.60

$0.80 SYP 97.6

-72.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.30 SYP 36.32

$0.75 SYP 91.5

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 48.53

$0.41 SYP 49.63

-2.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.6

$0.62 SYP 75.3

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 SYP 333

$2.75 SYP 334

-0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 SYP 732

$6.09 SYP 740

-0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SYP 134

$1.11 SYP 135

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 SYP 347

$2.83 SYP 344

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 SYP 39.34

$0.21 SYP 25.45

52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.17 SYP 1,236

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 SYP 120

$1.03 SYP 125

-3.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 SYP 180

$1.50 SYP 183

-1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 SYP 942

$7.80 SYP 948

-0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.65 SYP 443

$3.79 SYP 461

-3.69%

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

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

$14.7K SYP 1.8M

2.01%

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

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

$19.1K SYP 2.3M

-1.95%

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

$142 SYP 17.2K

$141 SYP 17.1K

0.58%

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

$9.67 SYP 1,175

$9.65 SYP 1,172

0.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.64 SYP 2,386

$45.34 SYP 5,509

-56.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.80 SYP 704

$27.63 SYP 3,357

-79.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 SYP 1,024

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 SYP 663

$5.65 SYP 687

-3.54%

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

$9.56 SYP 1,161

$66.5 SYP 8,073

-85.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,801 SYP 218.8K

$1,755 SYP 213.2K

2.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.69 SYP 1,420

$28.44 SYP 3,456

-58.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 SYP 4,838

$40.56 SYP 4,927

-1.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.71 SYP 5,554

$60.6 SYP 7,360

-24.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.29 SYP 1,857

$58.1 SYP 7,063

-73.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 SYP 13.9K

$530 SYP 64.4K

-78.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 SYP 9,268

$186 SYP 22.5K

-58.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 SYP 28.4K

$837 SYP 101.7K

-72.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 SYP 13.9K

$438 SYP 53.3K

-73.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,748 SYP 212.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$609 SYP 74.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$50.7 SYP 6,164

$72.0 SYP 8,752

-29.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

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

Last update for Tartus: September 13, 2026

Last update for Damascus: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $114 in Tartus and $530 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Damascus pays 42% 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: $45.00 in Tartus vs $44.00 in Damascus. Groceries flip the comparison at $135 vs $168, with Tartus cheaper for home cooking.

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 37% in total monthly costs ($637 vs $875 including rent). Tartus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% 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: $114 in Tartus versus $530 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $9.56 in Tartus versus $66.5 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 $45.00 versus $44.00 in Damascus. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $637 in Tartus versus $875 in Damascus, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tartus but tight or insufficient in Damascus. The gap between the two cities makes Tartus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 37% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.