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: $483 in Tartus versus $734 in Damascus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $760 in Tartus versus $1,085 in Damascus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,037 in Tartus versus $1,437 in Damascus.

Living in Tartus costs roughly 34% less than in Damascus, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tartus 64% lower, Damascus 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.18 SYP 751

$5.93 SYP 720

4.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.98 SYP 3,400

$27.18 SYP 3,303

2.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 SYP 670

$5.65 SYP 686

-2.48%

Cappuccino

$0.78 SYP 94.8

$1.49 SYP 182

-47.65%

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

$1.12 SYP 137

$1.12 SYP 136

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 SYP 83.5

$0.68 SYP 82.1

1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SYP 200

$1.58 SYP 193

3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SYP 299

$2.48 SYP 302

-0.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 SYP 122

$1.04 SYP 126

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 SYP 76.2

$0.59 SYP 71.7

6.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 SYP 186

$1.67 SYP 203

-8.38%

Eggs

$1.40 SYP 170

$1.92 SYP 233

-27.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 SYP 377

$3.02 SYP 367

2.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 SYP 914

$7.54 SYP 917

-0.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 SYP 985

$11.18 SYP 1,358

-27.55%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 SYP 113

$0.88 SYP 107

5.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 SYP 149

$1.79 SYP 218

-31.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 SYP 120

$1.03 SYP 125

-4.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 SYP 117

$0.94 SYP 114

2.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 SYP 75.6

$0.61 SYP 74.2

1.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 SYP 81.4

$0.66 SYP 79.8

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 45.97

$0.40 SYP 49.06

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$0.61 SYP 74.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 SYP 373

$3.05 SYP 371

0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 SYP 981

$8.20 SYP 996

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 SYP 123

$0.98 SYP 119

3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SYP 215

$1.75 SYP 212

1.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 SYP 11.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.85 SYP 2,048

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 SYP 76.1

$0.97 SYP 118

-35.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 SYP 155

$1.21 SYP 147

5.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 SYP 772

$6.26 SYP 761

1.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 SYP 142

$3.61 SYP 439

-67.59%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

-0.13%

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

$21.0K SYP 2.6M

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

0.88%

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

$101 SYP 12.2K

$102 SYP 12.3K

-0.96%

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

$8.37 SYP 1,017

$8.25 SYP 1,003

1.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.08 SYP 4,262

$54.4 SYP 6,611

-35.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.14 SYP 1,475

$15.48 SYP 1,881

-21.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 SYP 897

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 SYP 375

$2.95 SYP 359

4.75%

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

$43.00 SYP 5,225

$43.49 SYP 5,285

-1.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,813 SYP 220.3K

$1,804 SYP 219.2K

0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.63 SYP 2,386

$29.75 SYP 3,615

-34.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.73 SYP 3,127

$25.42 SYP 3,089

1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.53 SYP 5,532

$45.65 SYP 5,548

-0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.56 SYP 4,807

$56.1 SYP 6,814

-29.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$101 SYP 12.2K

$265 SYP 32.2K

-61.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 SYP 20.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 SYP 64.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SYP 34.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,714 SYP 208.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$596 SYP 72.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$50.2 SYP 6,094

$59.5 SYP 7,235

-15.76%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Damascus: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $101 in Tartus and $265 in Damascus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Damascus pays 19% 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: $28.00 in Tartus vs $27.00 in Damascus. Groceries flip the comparison at $157 vs $172, 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 52% in total monthly costs ($483 vs $734 including rent). Tartus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $101 in Tartus versus $265 in Damascus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $43.00 in Tartus versus $43.49 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 $28.00 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 52% less than in Damascus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.