Idlib – Samah Alloush

After deciding to return to Syria, Amer al-Qurabi (44 years old) sold his household furniture in Turkey to save himself the hassle and high transportation fees, hoping to buy new furniture upon his arrival in the country. However, he was surprised by the prices of both new and used furnishings, which exceeded his expectations after a tour he conducted in the markets of Idlib city.

Al-Qurabi sold all his household furniture for approximately $2,000 (20 million Syrian pounds) and found that he needed $3,000 to buy replacements, and of lower quality than what he sold in Turkey.

Al-Qurabi returned voluntarily with his family from Turkey to Syria after ten years of asylum and hard work there, to enjoy safety in his country and find a kind of stability that every displaced Syrian dreams of, having lost so much and endured great suffering.

Rising prices… Taxes and increased demand

The price of a bedroom made of melamine wood ranges between $300 and $600, while a refurbished used bedroom made of beech wood costs between $500 and $1,200 on average, and new ones range from $1,500 to $2,500, depending on the number of pieces and the intricacy of the carvings.

The price of a refrigerator is $300, a gas oven is $200, a washing machine is $200, and a living room set is $300, while the price of children’s bedrooms ranges between $400 and $500.

These costs are considered high for a family returning from a host country to Syria, starting their life from scratch without purchasing some items that have become “luxuries,” like a television set and internet service equipment.

Mamdouh, a seller of bedroom sets in Idlib city, stated that prices have risen by about 30% compared to 2024 due to the imposition of new taxes on raw materials, including wood, fabrics, and accessories, as well as screws.

The increase in demand coupled with a decrease in the supply of furniture pieces in the markets contributes to these rising prices, according to the seller.

Used goods’ prices have increased too

Mamdouh mentioned that used furniture pieces have become scarcer in the market because families are holding onto what they have following the liberation of Syrian cities and towns from the previous regime’s forces, and they do not need to sell their furniture, especially since they cannot afford to buy new furniture due to their limited financial capabilities and the need to save any money they receive for restoring their homes or building new ones.

Ahmad, the owner of a used furniture store, told Enab Baladi that the prices of used living room sets range between $250 and $600, depending on their quality and the cleanliness of the wood and fabric.

He noted that the prices for used European refrigerators range between $250 and $300, and added that the prices for used items have increased from what they were before the regime’s fall.

He attributed the increase to customs duties imposed on imported goods entering through border crossings with Turkey, among other factors, the opening of Syrian provinces’ markets to each other, and increased demand for them.

Transportation costs

Abdulaziz decided to return to Syria, so he offered his household furniture for sale in Kayseri, Turkey. Although it was new, most customers were used furniture traders who undervalued it, he said.

Abdulaziz told Enab Baladi that he promoted the sale of the furniture on social media pages for Syrians residing in the province, but he received no offers to buy it, due to their instability there and their desire to return to Syria.

He mentioned that the best solution was to find a shipping company that would handle all the passage procedures, customs fees, packing the furniture, and delivering it safely to Idlib city, so it wouldn’t be damaged, and he wouldn’t have to pay extra to buy furniture of the same quality.

After searching and conducting a survey of shipping companies’ prices, he managed to transport it at a cost of 17,000 Turkish lira, approximately $500, which was the cheapest price he found.

Shipping costs differ between Turkish provinces based on the distance from Syria, the type of truck, and the amount of furniture.

Abdul-Latif, a Syrian refugee living in Istanbul, agreed with three other families to transport all their furniture and rented a large truck for a cost of $2,000 (divided among the three families) to deliver it to Idlib city.

Abdul-Latif noted that the shipping process encountered some obstacles; some of the furniture arrived damaged due to workers’ negligence, and their haste in improperly packing fragile items like screens and glassware. Additionally, the unpaved roads during the transport process contained holes that impeded the trucks’ movement, whether on external roads or within Idlib province.

In a previous statement to Enab Baladi from the media office in the Ministry of Economy regarding the recently imposed customs fees, it was reported that after the liberation of Syria, each border crossing had different fees and working mechanisms than others.

It was mentioned that the ministry issued a unified customs tariff for all crossings and outlets in Syria, aiming to standardize product prices and enhance the quality of local products so they can compete locally and internationally through a new operational structure aimed at developing the economy.

The fall of the Syrian regime has stirred the desire of Syrians to return to their country, whether for visits or to settle down, despite the deteriorating economic and living conditions, and UN warnings that a widespread return of Syrian refugees could escalate conflict in Syria and pose a heavy burden on the country.

On January 29, the Turkish Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, announced that 81,576 Syrian refugees had returned to their homeland since December 9, 2024, following the ousting of the Assad regime in Syria.