Cost of Living Comparison Between Baalbek and Beirut Cost of Living Comparison Between Baalbek and Beirut

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,498 per month in Baalbek vs $1,437 in Beirut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,962 per month in Baalbek vs $2,353 in Beirut, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,426 per month in Baalbek vs $3,269 in Beirut, rent included.

Baalbek costs about 4% more than Beirut, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Baalbek and Beirut sit above the global median – Baalbek by 12%, Beirut by 7%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Baalbek
Beirut
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.95 LBP 979.7K
$10.76 LBP 963.0K
1.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.1 LBP 5.5M
$59.7 LBP 5.3M
2.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.05 LBP 720.6K
$8.04 LBP 720.0K
0.12%
Cappuccino
$3.32 LBP 296.8K
$3.27 LBP 292.4K
1.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 LBP 146.2K
$1.58 LBP 141.4K
3.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 LBP 81.9K
$0.92 LBP 82.4K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 LBP 304.8K
$3.45 LBP 308.9K
-1.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.92 LBP 440.5K
$5.06 LBP 453.3K
-2.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Baalbek
Beirut
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.76 LBP 157.8K
$1.79 LBP 160.5K
-1.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 LBP 76.6K
$0.85 LBP 76.5K
1.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.82 LBP 162.9K
$1.82 LBP 163.3K
-
Eggs
$3.08 LBP 275.4K
$3.19 LBP 285.4K
-3.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.42 LBP 1.0M
$11.51 LBP 1.0M
-0.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.30 LBP 832.6K
$9.60 LBP 859.6K
-3.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.55 LBP 1.0M
$11.36 LBP 1.0M
1.67%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 LBP 160.9K
$1.73 LBP 154.6K
4.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 LBP 129.8K
$1.45 LBP 129.4K
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.14 LBP 102.3K
$1.15 LBP 103.0K
-0.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.04 LBP 93.5K
$1.08 LBP 96.9K
-3.70%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 LBP 84.5K
$0.99 LBP 88.2K
-5.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 LBP 92.4K
$1.04 LBP 92.8K
-0.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.86 LBP 77.2K
$0.81 LBP 72.8K
6.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 LBP 46.5K
$0.52 LBP 46.7K
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.53 LBP 226.1K
$2.46 LBP 220.6K
2.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.91 LBP 886.7K
$9.95 LBP 890.6K
-0.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 LBP 115.2K
$1.24 LBP 110.6K
4.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 LBP 197.6K
$2.20 LBP 197.3K
0.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Baalbek
Beirut
Difference
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)
$4.93 LBP 441.5K
$4.94 LBP 442.2K
-0.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 LBP 109.4K
$1.28 LBP 114.5K
-4.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.25 LBP 1.8M
$19.91 LBP 1.8M
1.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.90 LBP 80.8K
$0.90 LBP 80.9K
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K LBP 3.1B
$34.8K LBP 3.1B
0.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4K LBP 2.5B
$27.6K LBP 2.5B
-0.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baalbek
Beirut
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$213 LBP 19.1M
$218 LBP 19.5M
-2.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.18 LBP 3.3M
$37.46 LBP 3.4M
-0.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.69 LBP 3.4M
$37.30 LBP 3.3M
1.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Baalbek
Beirut
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$68.4 LBP 6.1M
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.84 LBP 2.7M
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.99 LBP 715.0K
$8.13 LBP 727.3K
-1.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Baalbek
Beirut
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$297 LBP 26.6M
$297 LBP 26.6M
-0.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,369 LBP 391.0M
$4,404 LBP 394.1M
-0.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Baalbek
Beirut
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.8 LBP 6.4M
$71.6 LBP 6.4M
0.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.24 LBP 4.0M
$44.80 LBP 4.0M
-1.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 LBP 10.9M
$120 LBP 10.8M
1.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.4 LBP 8.4M
$95.5 LBP 8.6M
-1.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Baalbek
Beirut
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 LBP 38.8M
$809 LBP 72.4M
-46.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$577 LBP 51.6M
$370 LBP 33.1M
55.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,363 LBP 122.0M
$2,023 LBP 181.0M
-32.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$533 LBP 47.7M
$950 LBP 85.0M
-43.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,685 LBP 329.8M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,978 LBP 177.1M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Baalbek
Beirut
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$651 LBP 58.2M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.16
11.16
-

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

Last update for Baalbek: May 30, 2026

Last update for Beirut: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Baalbek versus $809 in Beirut. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Baalbek versus $60.0 in Beirut. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Baalbek vs $236 in Beirut – so Baalbek wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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
Baalbek vs Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Baalbek and Beirut compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,498 in Baalbek, $1,437 in Beirut – roughly 4% apart. Baalbek costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Baalbek compared to Beirut?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,247 per month in Baalbek and $2,155 in Beirut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Baalbek and Beirut?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Beirut, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Baalbek and $60.0 in Beirut. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Baalbek – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Beirut, where all-in costs run around $1,437, than in Baalbek at $1,498. In Beirut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baalbek it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Baalbek or Beirut?
Families tend to lean toward Beirut – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Baalbek and Beirut?
If budget matters most, go with Beirut. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Baalbek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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