Home / Countries / Syria / Damascus
Syria · Cost of living

Living in Damascus

What it really costs to live in Damascus, what you can earn, the visas that get you in, and the taxes you'll pay — for Syria, updated 2026. Damascus lies in Western Asia. The main language is Arabic. Syria borders Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey.

€235–€255Single / month
18/100Safety
10.3%Tax @ €90k
5 yrsTo residency
Monthly cost

Cost of Living in Damascus

€50
1BR centre/mo
€30
1BR outside/mo
€80
Groceries/mo
€10
Transport/mo
€40
Utilities/mo
€15
Internet/mo
Breakdown

Full Monthly Breakdown for Damascus

1BR Apartment (Centre)€50/mo
1BR Apartment (Outside)€30/mo
3BR Apartment (Centre)€120/mo
Groceries (single)€80/mo
Transport pass€10/mo
Utilities€40/mo
Internet€15/mo
Health insurance€20/mo
Entertainment & dining€40/mo
Total single (centre)€255/mo
Family of 4 (centre)€650/mo
Earnings

What You Can Earn in Syria

Typical gross annual salaries in Syria by sector (entry · median · senior). Damascus pay usually sits around the national median.

SectorEntryMedianSenior
it€6 000€8 500€12 000
retail€2 000€3 000€4 500
finance€5 000€7 500€10 500
education€3 000€4 000€6 000
healthcare€3 500€5 000€7 500
engineering€5 000€7 000€9 500
hospitality€2 500€4 000€5 500
construction€3 000€4 500€6 500
Daily life

Living in Damascus: Safety, Health & Climate

Damascus shares Syria's wider quality-of-life profile. Damascus has a dry climate. Here is what daily life looks like on the things that matter most when you relocate.

🛡️
18/100
Safety index
🏥
45/100
Healthcare
🗣️
Low
English
🌤️
31°C
Summer avg
📶
8.2Mbps
Internet
😊
3.2/10
Expat satisfaction
Getting in

Visa Routes to Syria

Affording Damascus is only half the question — you also need a visa that lets you stay in Syria. The main routes:

  • A job offer is normally required for the main work route.
  • Permanent residence after about 5 years.
  • Citizenship after ~5 years — dual nationality allowed.

See all Syria visa routes compared →

Money kept

Taxes in Syria

10.3%
Effective @ €90k

Top marginal rate 15%, VAT 5%.

Setting up

Settling into Damascus

  • Budget around €2 100 for first-month setup in Damascus.
  • Regulated professions needing credential recognition: Medicine, Law, Engineering.

Get Your Syria Emigration Report

Personalised visa options, costs and a 90-day plan for Syria.

Get Essential Report — €5or start the free assessment
FAQ

Damascus FAQ

How much does it cost to live in Damascus?

A single person in central Damascus should budget about €255/month, roughly €235 outside the centre. A family of four needs around €650/month.

Can I get a visa to live in Syria?

Yes — the main route usually needs a job offer, with permanent residence reachable in about 5 years. See the full Syria visa comparison for the route that fits you.

Sources: salaries, taxes, safety, healthcare and visa data from World Bank, OECD, the Global Peace Index and official government portals. Cost-of-living figures are community-sourced benchmarks — a guide, not a quote. Last reviewed 2026-05.

Related: Syria Guide · Visa Comparison · All Countries