---
title: "Living in Latakia as a digital nomad: cost, safety, visa, internet"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/latakia
description: "Syria's Mediterranean port, with beaches and Ugarit next door"
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Latakia, Syria

Latakia scores 40.2/100 for digital nomads under balanced weights, ranking 1434 of 1501 cities. There is no open cost-of-living figure yet; expect no dedicated nomad visa, and a measured median download speed of 0.9 Mbps.

Latakia is Syria's main port and coastal city, with a corniche, beaches, a university and the ruins of Ugarit just to the north. The coast saw deadly sectarian violence in March 2025 and most Western governments still advise against all travel to Syria; power cuts are long, card payments are rare and internet is slow. Nostos includes it mainly as a home city for comparison.

Known for: Mediterranean corniche, Ugarit and Saladin Castle, Mountain villages inland, Unrest and advisories.

## Scores (balanced weights, 0–100)

| Factor | Score |
| --- | --- |
| Overall | 40.2 |
| Cost of living | — |
| Safety | 34 |
| Healthcare | 68 |
| Internet | 0 |
| Visa ease | 32 |
| Getting there & around | 10 |
| Climate | 83 |
| Air quality | 68 |
| Quality of life | 27 |

## The numbers behind the scores

| Metric | Value | Level | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | — | country | 2026-09 | [^2] |
| Central 1-bedroom rent | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Outskirts 1-bedroom rent (basis of the monthly total) | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Homicide rate (per 100k) | 2.4 | country | 2021 | [^4] |
| Political stability (0–100) | 25 | country | 2025 | [^5] |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 70 | country | 2023 | [^6] |
| Life expectancy (years) | 73.6 | country | 2023 | [^7] |
| Median download (Mbps) | 0.9 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Median upload (Mbps) | 0.4 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Starlink residential service | Not offered | country | 2026-10 | [^9] |
| Nomad visa | none listed | country | 2026-07 | [^10] |
| Entry for US / EU / UK passports | e-visa required / e-visa required / e-visa required | country | 2026-02 | [^11] |
| Non-stop destinations (LTK) | 0 | city | 2014 | [^12] |
| Restaurants within 3 km of the centre (OpenStreetMap) | 129 | city | 2026-11 | [^16] |
| Walkability / transit (1–5) | 3 / 1 | editorial | 2026-09 | [^13] |
| Comfortable months | 10 of 12 | city | 2001–2020 | [^14] |
| Annual mean PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 19.5 | city | 2023 | [^15] |
| Human Development Index | 0.564 | country | 2023 | [^17] |
| English proficiency band | low | country | 2025 | [^18] |

## Tax on income from abroad

**Salary tax reaches residents even when paid from abroad; most foreign investment income is untaxed.** Syria still applies its 2003 Income Tax Law while a new income tax law waits to be passed. Salary tax covers anyone resident in Syria and any pay for work done there, so a remote salary from abroad is taxable in law. Foreign dividends, rent, capital gains and pensions are largely outside Syrian tax for foreigners. There is no wealth tax. Official tax sites were unreachable, so several figures here are unconfirmed.

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| How residents are taxed | territorial (local income only) |
| Remote work for foreign clients or employers | taxed (Progressive on monthly salary above a tax-free amount; reported as 5%–15% (unconfirmed)) |
| Investments and pensions from abroad | not taxed |
| Wealth | no wealth tax |
| Tax resident after | home or ties test |
| Top income tax rate | 15% |

Residency: The Income Tax Law (Law No 24 of 2003) has no day-count test and does not define residence. Salary tax applies to anyone who receives pay from a private payer while resident in Syria, or whose pay is for services performed in Syria (Article 66). Business profits are taxed when they come from work carried on in Syria (Article 3). On a tourist or other short stay, the work test matters more than residence: pay for work you do while in Syria is within the tax from the first day. How long a stay makes someone resident for Article 66 is not set out in the law.

Remote work: Article 66 of Law No 24 of 2003 taxes salary from a private payer when the person is resident in Syria or the pay is for services performed there, so a foreign employer's salary for work done from Syria is within salary tax in law. The tax is normally withheld by the employer. With no Syrian payer, the law expects you to declare the income to your local finance office yourself (Article 74). The last scale this profile could read in an official text, Legislative Decree No 24 of 2020, ran from 4% to 18% of monthly net salary, including the national-defence, school and local surcharges. A 2023 decree reportedly changed it to 5%–15%, but its text could not be loaded. The Ministry of Finance raised the monthly tax-free amount to SYP 837,000 for salaries paid in 2025, and the 2026 amount was not confirmed. Freelancers practising a profession in Syria pay profits tax on that activity (Article 3); fees from foreign clients for work done in Syria appear to fall within it, but the rates were not verified. Social security and tax treaties were not checked. Syria removed two zeros from its currency at the end of 2025, so older pound figures must be divided by 100.

Investments: Syria's tax on investment income reaches foreign sources only in narrow cases. Under Article 83 of Law No 24 of 2003, income from shares and bonds of companies outside Syria is taxed only when it belongs to Syrian nationals, and interest on foreign government bonds is taxed for residents of Syria. The original rate is 7.5% (Article 84), and later amendments were not checked. Pensions are exempt from salary tax (Article 67). Rent from property abroad and gains on foreign shares are outside the profits tax, which covers work carried on in Syria (Article 3). So a foreign national living in Syria pays nothing on foreign dividends, rent, capital gains or pensions, apart from interest on foreign government bonds. Syrian citizens returning home are taxed on foreign company dividends and bond interest. The draft new income tax law would remove tax on bank interest and on dividends, but it has not been passed.

On the nomad visa: Syria has no digital nomad or remote-work visa. Most foreigners need a visa before travel, applied for online through Syria's e-visa system. The tax rules do not depend on the visa: pay for work done in Syria is within salary tax from the first day. The UK FCDO advises against all travel to Syria because of unpredictable security conditions and a very likely threat of terrorist attacks. Financial transactions are restricted, cash withdrawals are limited and cards are of little use. US sanctions on Syria as a country ended on 1 July 2025, the Caesar Act was repealed on 18 December 2025, and Syria's State Sponsor of Terrorism designation was rescinded on 24 August 2026. Sanctions on named people and some export controls remain.

Official sources: [Law No 24 of 2003 on Income Tax](https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/20751) (People's Assembly of the Syrian Arab Republic (Law No 24 of 2003), read 2026-10-27); [Legislative Decree No 24 of 2020 amending Articles 68 and 69 of the Income Tax Law](https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/20783) (President of the Syrian Arab Republic (Legislative Decree No 24 of 2020), read 2026-10-27); [Syrian Finance Minister: tax-free minimum on salaries is SYP 837,000](https://sana.sy/economy/2257453/) (Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), official state news agency, read 2026-10-27); [Ministry of Finance announces main features of the new income tax system](https://sana.sy/economy/2251942/) (Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), official state news agency, read 2026-10-27); [Finance Minister: new draft income tax law](https://sana.sy/economy/2280666/) (Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), official state news agency, read 2026-10-27); [Finance Minister to SANA: SYP 64 million in old pounds is the total tax-free income](https://sana.sy/economy/2453532/) (Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), official state news agency, read 2026-10-27); [Barnieh: no extension of the tax return deadline](https://sana.sy/economy/syrian-economy/2514963/) (Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), official state news agency, read 2026-10-27); [Workshop in Damascus on the outlook for Syria's new tax system](https://sana.sy/economy/syrian-economy/2550010/) (Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), official state news agency, read 2026-10-27); [Tax calculator: a new Ministry of Finance service at the Damascus International Fair](https://sana.sy/video/2571837/) (Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), official state news agency, read 2026-10-27); [Finance Ministry and People's Assembly discuss spending priorities and tax reform](https://sana.sy/peoples-assembly/2612830/) (Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), official state news agency, read 2026-10-27); [President al-Sharaa launches the new Syrian currency](https://sana.sy/locals/2363908/) (Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), official state news agency, read 2026-10-27); [Tax reform committee amends real estate sales tax and ends tax on residential rents for Syrians](https://sana.sy/economy/2253876/) (Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), official state news agency, read 2026-10-27); [Syria travel advice](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/syria) (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK), read 2026-10-27); [Syria travel advice: safety and security](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/syria/safety-and-security) (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK), read 2026-10-27); [Syria travel advice: entry requirements](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/syria/entry-requirements) (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK), read 2026-10-27); [Syria Sanctions FAQs](https://ofac.treasury.gov/faqs/topic/1571) (Office of Foreign Assets Control, US Department of the Treasury, read 2026-10-27).

Not yet reviewed by a person. General information, not tax advice. US citizens are taxed by the US wherever they live.

## Climate (2001–2020 normals)

| Month | Mean °C | Rain mm | Humidity % | Comfortable |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jan | 14 | 144 | 70 | no |
| Feb | 14.4 | 103 | 70 | no |
| Mar | 16 | 59 | 72 | yes |
| Apr | 18 | 39 | 75 | yes |
| May | 21.2 | 24 | 76 | yes |
| Jun | 24.4 | 11 | 78 | yes |
| Jul | 26.7 | 3 | 80 | yes |
| Aug | 27.6 | 7 | 79 | yes |
| Sep | 26.7 | 23 | 72 | yes |
| Oct | 24.4 | 47 | 65 | yes |
| Nov | 19.9 | 84 | 63 | yes |
| Dec | 15.9 | 142 | 68 | yes |

## Airports and nonstop flights

| Airport | IATA | Nonstop destinations | International | From US airports |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bassel Al-Assad International Airport | LTK | 0 | 0 | 0 |

Unique destinations across all airports: 0, of which 0 international (OpenFlights 2014 snapshot).

## Similar cities

- [Aleppo](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/aleppo) (32.3) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/aleppo-vs-latakia)
- [Damascus](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/damascus) (33.4) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/damascus-vs-latakia)
- [Homs](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/homs) (31.7) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/homs-vs-latakia)
- [Tripoli (Lebanon)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/tripoli-lebanon) (53.8) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/latakia-vs-tripoli-lebanon)
- [Byblos](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/byblos) (50.9) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/byblos-vs-latakia)

## FAQ

### How much does it cost to live in Latakia as a digital nomad?

We do not have a reliable monthly cost figure for Latakia yet.

### Is Latakia safe for digital nomads?

Latakia scores 34/100 on safety. Syria records 2.4 homicides per 100,000 people per year (WHO, 2021) and a political-stability score of 25/100 (World Bank WGI). Both figures are national, so neighbourhood-level risk can differ.

### Does Syria have a digital nomad visa?

No dedicated digital nomad visa was listed for Syria as of 2026-07. Visitors from the US need an e-visa, applied for online.

### How fast is the internet in Latakia?

Measured median download speed in Latakia was 0.9 Mbps (upload 0.4 Mbps) across 2,419 M-Lab tests in 2024. Measured speeds run below advertised plan speeds everywhere, so compare cities rather than reading the number as a plan.

### Is Starlink available in Latakia?

No. Starlink does not offer service in Syria according to its availability map (2026-10), and bringing a terminal may break local rules.

### Which airports serve Latakia and how many nonstop flights are there?

Latakia is served by Bassel Al-Assad International Airport (LTK) with 0 nonstop destinations, of which 0 are international. 0 US airports have a nonstop link. Source: OpenFlights 2014 snapshot.

### When is the best time of year to be in Latakia?

The most comfortable months are Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec. Mean temperatures range from 57°F (14°C) in Jan to 82°F (28°C) in Aug (NASA POWER 2001–2020 climatology).

### Latakia or Aleppo: which is better for digital nomads?

Aleppo is the city with the closest factor profile to Latakia in this dataset. Which one wins depends on your weights; the comparison page puts every factor side by side with the numbers behind them.

## Plan a trip

[Plan a trip to Latakia](https://dashboard.navoy.io/trip/new?utm_source=nostos&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=plan_trip&utm_content=latakia&destination=Latakia%2C+Syria) on Navoy, the AI travel planner behind Nostos.

## Sources

[^1]: City population (latest census or official estimate), Wikipedia (citing national statistics offices). CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^2]: 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level), WhereNext. CC BY 4.0. https://getwherenext.com/data/cost-of-living-2026 (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^3]: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows), WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. https://github.com/0brien18/global-emigration-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^4]: Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/estimates-of-rates-of-homicides-per-100-000-population (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^5]: Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), World Bank. CC BY 4.0. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^6]: UHC service coverage index, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/uhc-index-of-service-coverage (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^7]: Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/life-expectancy-at-birth-(years) (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^8]: M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024), Measurement Lab. CC0 1.0. https://statistics.measurementlab.net/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^9]: Starlink availability map, SpaceX (Starlink). Factual status cited from starlink.com. https://www.starlink.com/map (retrieved 2026-10-07)
[^10]: Digital Nomad Visas 2026, WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. https://github.com/0brien18/global-emigration-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^11]: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), Ilya Ilyankou (compiled from passportindex.org). MIT. https://github.com/ilyankou/passport-index-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^12]: OpenFlights airports and routes, OpenFlights.org. ODbL 1.0. https://openflights.org/data (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^13]: Walkability and transit ratings (editorial), Navoy. CC BY 4.0. https://nostos.navoy.io/methodology (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^14]: NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means), NASA Langley Research Center. Public domain (US Government). https://power.larc.nasa.gov/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^15]: SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04), Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis. CC BY 4.0. https://sites.wustl.edu/acag/surface-pm2-5/ (retrieved 2026-10-07)
[^16]: OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API), OpenStreetMap contributors. ODbL 1.0. https://overpass-api.de/ (retrieved 2026-10-02)
[^17]: Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), United Nations Development Programme. CC BY 3.0 IGO. https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/documentation-and-downloads (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^18]: EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), EF Education First. Proprietary; band cited as a fact with attribution. https://www.ef.com/epi/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/latakia