Moving to Sri Lanka from Syria

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Syria to Sri Lanka, and you’d need to navigate life in Sinhala and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Colombo averages 87°F vs 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
72 ↓ 1% vs 2015

people born in Syria live in Sri Lanka · UN DESA

Who's moving to Sri Lanka?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
LK
3.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
LK
11.5

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
LK
$507
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

SY
11.9
LK
11.9

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
LK
37.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
LK
1.1t

Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Syria across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
7.3
LK
10.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
LK
90.8%

Sri Lanka generally does better on infrastructure, though Syria leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.5%
LK
6.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$2,900
LK
$13,000

Sri Lanka 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
LK
77.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
15.9
LK
8.2

Sri Lanka generally does better on family life, though Syria leads in education spending.

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

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Colombo
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 88°/73°F (31°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 88°/77°F (31°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 86°/77°F (30°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 86°/74°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Colombo
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Visa Required
Syria passport holders need a visa to enter Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka?

With 10.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka.

Is Sri Lanka safe for expats?

Syria generally does better on safety, though Sri Lanka leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Sri Lanka is 3.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Sri Lanka compared to Syria?

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in health coverage index. There are 11.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Sri Lanka, compared to 11.9 in Syria. Sri Lanka scores 67 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

What's the weather like in Sri Lanka compared to Syria?

The average high temperature in Colombo is 87°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Colombo receives around 99.4 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Sri Lanka?

The official languages in Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY LK
Population 21,563,800 23,187,516
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Languages Arabic Sinhala, Tamil
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +963 +94
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119