Moving to Nigeria from Syria

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Syria to Nigeria, you would find that Nigeria is 12.4% more expensive than Syria overall. A SYP980,000,000 salary in Syria would need to be roughly NGN113,000,000 in Nigeria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abuja averages 91°F vs 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

SYP980,000,000 → NGN113,000,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Nigeria

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 50.1% less

Groceries

pay 25.8% more

Transportation

pay 15.0% less

Housing

pay 67.4% more

Childcare

pay 3.1 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 17.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SYP = 0.1022 NGN (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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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Nigeria compared to Syria.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
NG
15.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
NG
17.2

Syria generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
NG
$260
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

SY
15.2
NG
3.8

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
NG
77.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
NG
0.6t

Nigeria performs significantly better than Syria across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
6.9
NG
0.1
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
NG
9.7%

Syria generally does better on infrastructure, though Nigeria 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%
NG
3.1%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$1,057
NG
$1,224

Nigeria 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
NG
54.6 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
17.7
NG
69.8

Syria performs better than Nigeria 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), Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria (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

Abuja Rain: 48.1 in/yr (1221 mm)
91° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Abuja
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 97°/74°F (36°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 91°/69°F (33°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 85°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 93°/64°F (34°/18°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Abuja
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, Nigerian Meteorological Agency Nigerian Meteorological Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Nigeria

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

Nigeria passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Nigeria 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 Nigeria than Syria?

On average Nigeria is around 12% pricier than Syria, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Nigeria?

Budget about NGN28,250,000 for 3 months in Nigeria (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 Nigeria?

Connectivity is usually fine (Nigeria: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Nigeria offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Nigeria safe for expats?

Syria generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Nigeria is 15.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Nigeria compared to Syria?

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in adult obesity rate. There are 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Nigeria, compared to 15.2 in Syria. Nigeria scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

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

The average high temperature in Abuja is 91°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Abuja receives around 48.1 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Nigeria?

The official language in Nigeria is English. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY NG
Population 25,620,427 237,527,782
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Nigerian Naira (NGN)
Languages Arabic English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +963 +234
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number — 112