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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Beirut is roughly 60% more expensive than Baabda, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$10.67 LBP 954.8K

0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

$59.2 LBP 5.3M

0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

$8.24 LBP 737.3K

-2.43%

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

$3.36 LBP 300.6K

-2.68%

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

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

$1.64 LBP 146.8K

-3.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

$3.52 LBP 315.3K

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

$5.01 LBP 448.6K

1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

1.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

$0.79 LBP 70.9K

7.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

$1.84 LBP 164.5K

-1.09%

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

$3.09 LBP 276.6K

3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$11.40 LBP 1.0M

0.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

$9.36 LBP 837.4K

2.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$11.64 LBP 1.0M

-2.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

$1.75 LBP 156.3K

-1.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

$1.52 LBP 136.4K

-4.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

$1.04 LBP 93.3K

3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$1.01 LBP 90.2K

-1.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$1.01 LBP 90.3K

2.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

-5.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.55 LBP 49.5K

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

$2.56 LBP 229.4K

-3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

$10.08 LBP 902.6K

-1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$1.28 LBP 114.8K

-3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

$2.16 LBP 193.1K

1.85%

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)

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

$4.96 LBP 444.3K

-0.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$20.21 LBP 1.8M

-1.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

2.27%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

0.50%

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

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-1.54%

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

$218 LBP 19.5M

$213 LBP 19.1M

1.94%

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

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

$38.10 LBP 3.4M

-1.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

$37.41 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

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

$8.16 LBP 730.3K

-0.37%

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

$297 LBP 26.6M

$300 LBP 26.9M

-0.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

$4,440 LBP 397.3M

-0.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

$45.06 LBP 4.0M

-0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.8M

$122 LBP 10.9M

-1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

$96.0 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 Beirut: June 1, 2026

Last update for Baabda: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $60.0 in Beirut vs $59.0 in Baabda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $235 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

Beirut vs Baabda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $2,155 in Beirut and $1,346 in Baabda 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 $297 in Beirut versus $300 in Baabda. 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.