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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Beirut is about 4% cheaper than Baalbek, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$10.95 LBP 979.7K

-1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

$61.1 LBP 5.5M

-2.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

$8.05 LBP 720.6K

-0.12%

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

$3.32 LBP 296.8K

-1.51%

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

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

$1.63 LBP 146.2K

-3.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

$0.92 LBP 81.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

$3.41 LBP 304.8K

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

$4.92 LBP 440.5K

2.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$1.76 LBP 157.8K

1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

$0.86 LBP 76.6K

-1.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

$3.08 LBP 275.4K

3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$11.42 LBP 1.0M

0.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

$9.30 LBP 832.6K

3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$11.55 LBP 1.0M

-1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

$1.80 LBP 160.9K

-3.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

$1.45 LBP 129.8K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$1.14 LBP 102.3K

0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

$1.04 LBP 93.5K

3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

5.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$1.03 LBP 92.4K

0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

-5.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.52 LBP 46.5K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

$2.53 LBP 226.1K

-2.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

$9.91 LBP 886.7K

0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$1.29 LBP 115.2K

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

$2.21 LBP 197.6K

-0.45%

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

$4.93 LBP 441.5K

0.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

$1.22 LBP 109.4K

4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$20.25 LBP 1.8M

-1.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$0.90 LBP 80.8K

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

-0.15%

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

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$27.4K LBP 2.5B

0.57%

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

$218 LBP 19.5M

$213 LBP 19.1M

2.15%

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

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

$37.18 LBP 3.3M

0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

$37.69 LBP 3.4M

-1.03%

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

$7.99 LBP 715.0K

1.75%

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

$297 LBP 26.6M

0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

$4,369 LBP 391.0M

0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

$71.8 LBP 6.4M

-0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

$44.24 LBP 4.0M

1.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.8M

$122 LBP 10.9M

-1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

$94.4 LBP 8.4M

1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

$434 LBP 38.8M

86.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

$577 LBP 51.6M

-35.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

$1,363 LBP 122.0M

48.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 LBP 85.0M

$533 LBP 47.7M

78.21%

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 Baalbek: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $809 in Beirut versus $434 in Baalbek. 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 $60.0 in Beirut versus $61.0 in Baalbek. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Beirut vs $234 in Baalbek – 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

Beirut vs Baalbek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,437 in Beirut, $1,498 in Baalbek – roughly 4% apart. Baalbek costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,155 per month in Beirut and $2,247 in Baalbek. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Beirut and $61.0 in Baalbek. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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.

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.

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.

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.