Moving to Russia from Syria

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Syria to Russia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Syria to Russia, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Moscow averages 48°F vs 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly cooler.

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

Get free moving quotes to Russia

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Syria to Russia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
3,262

people born in Syria live in Russia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Russia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Syria and Russia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
RU
6.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
RU
10.6

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
RU
$3,204
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

SY
11.9
RU
38.3

Russia 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
RU
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
RU
14.0t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
7.3
RU
24.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
RU
4.1%

Russia performs significantly better than Syria across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.5%
RU
3.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$2,900
RU
$39,800

Russia performs significantly better than Syria across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SY
74.3 yrs
RU
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
15.9
RU
6.4

Syria generally does better on family life, though Russia leads in infant mortality.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Syria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

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

Moscow Rain: 27.2 in/yr (691 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Moscow
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 68°/52°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Moscow
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Russia

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

Russia passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Russia 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

Can I work remotely from Russia?

With 24.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Russia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Syria and Russia.

Is Russia safe for expats?

Syria generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Russia compared to Syria?

Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 38.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 11.9 in Syria. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

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

The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Russia?

The official language in Russia is Russian. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

Share this

At a Glance

SY RU
Population 21,563,800 142,021,981
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Russian Ruble (RUB)
Languages Arabic Russian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +963 +7
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 112