Cost of Living Comparison Between Baabda and Beirut Cost of Living Comparison Between Baabda and Beirut

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $898 in Baabda versus $1,437 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,402 in Baabda versus $2,353 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,906 in Baabda versus $3,269 in Beirut.

Living in Baabda costs roughly 38% less than in Beirut, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baabda is 33% below, Beirut is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 LBP 954.8K

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

-0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 LBP 5.3M

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

-0.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 LBP 737.3K

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

2.49%

Cappuccino

$3.36 LBP 300.6K

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

2.75%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 LBP 146.8K

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

3.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 LBP 315.3K

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 LBP 448.6K

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

-0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

-1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 70.9K

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

-7.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 LBP 164.5K

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

1.10%

Eggs

$3.09 LBP 276.6K

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

-3.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 LBP 1.0M

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

-0.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 LBP 837.4K

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

-2.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 LBP 1.0M

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

2.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 LBP 156.3K

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

1.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 LBP 136.4K

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

4.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.3K

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

-3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.2K

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

2.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.3K

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

-2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

6.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LBP 49.5K

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 LBP 229.4K

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 LBP 902.6K

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 LBP 114.8K

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 LBP 193.1K

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

-1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 LBP 444.3K

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

0.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.21 LBP 1.8M

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

1.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

-2.22%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-0.50%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

1.57%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$213 LBP 19.1M

$218 LBP 19.5M

-1.90%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.10 LBP 3.4M

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

1.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.41 LBP 3.3M

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 LBP 730.3K

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

0.37%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$300 LBP 26.9M

$297 LBP 26.6M

0.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,440 LBP 397.3M

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

0.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

-1.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 LBP 4.0M

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 LBP 10.9M

$120 LBP 10.8M

1.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 LBP 8.6M

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 LBP 85.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 LBP 58.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Baabda: May 30, 2026

Last update for Beirut: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $59.0 in Baabda vs $60.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $236 per month, with Baabda cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Baabda vs Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baabda and Beirut differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($898 vs $1,437 including rent). Baabda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,346 in Baabda and $2,155 in Beirut to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $300 in Baabda versus $297 in Beirut. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Baabda – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $60.0 in Beirut. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $898 in Baabda versus $1,437 in Beirut, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Baabda but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Baabda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Baabda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.