Moving to Israel from Syria

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Syria to Israel? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Syria to Israel, you would find that Israel is 4.2 times more expensive than Syria overall. A SYP980,000,000 salary in Syria would need to be roughly ₪979,000 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Syria and Israel.

What does your salary buy?

SYP980,000,000 → ₪979,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Israel

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 3.6 times more

Groceries

pay 2.7 times more

Transportation

pay 3.0 times more

Housing

pay 6.5 times more

Childcare

pay 18.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.9 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SYP = 0.0002 ILS (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Syria to Israel.

Living there in 2020
9,207 ↓ 3% vs 2015

people born in Syria live in Israel · UN DESA

Who's moving to Israel?

Top countries of origin for Israel's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Israel compared to Syria.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
IL
1.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
IL
4.2

Israel performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
IL
$4,033
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

SY
15.2
IL
38.0

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
IL
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
IL
5.8t

Syria generally does better on environment, though Israel leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
6.9
IL
29.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
IL
132.0%

Israel generally does better on infrastructure, though Syria leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.6%
IL
3.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$1,057
IL
$60,337

Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though Syria leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

SY
72.6 yrs
IL
83.2 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
17.7
IL
2.7

Israel performs significantly better than Syria across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2010–2021), The World Factbook (2009–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance, Syria (2016), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Jerusalem
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 58°/46°F (15°/8°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 78°/60°F (25°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 68°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Jerusalem
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria and Israel. To live, work, or study long-term in Israel, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Israel's immigration authority.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Israel

Visa Required
Syria passport holders need a visa to enter Israel.
Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Israel passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Syria.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Israel than Syria?

On average Israel is around 324% pricier than Syria, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Israel?

Budget about ₪244,750 for 3 months in Israel (based on a SYP980,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Israel?

Connectivity is usually fine (Israel: 29.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Israel offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Israel safe for expats?

Israel performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Israel compared to Syria?

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 38.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 15.2 in Syria. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

What's the weather like in Israel compared to Syria?

The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Israel?

The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY IL
Population 25,620,427 10,122,800
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Israeli New Sheqel (₪)
Languages Arabic Arabic, Hebrew
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +963 +972
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number — 100