Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Beirut: $1,657 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barcelona outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Beirut, Lebanon
Barcelona, Spain
Beirut
🇱🇧 Lebanon
$1,657
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Beirut and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Beirut and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,657 in Beirut versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

  • Beirut $1,657
  • Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,643 in Beirut versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

  • Beirut $2,643
  • Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,628 in Beirut versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

  • Beirut $3,628
  • Barcelona $4,564

Living in Beirut costs roughly 32% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 22% above, Barcelona 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Beirut
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.13 LBP 1.1M
$17.59 €15.75
-31.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 LBP 6.1M
$67.5 €60.5
0.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.86 LBP 882.6K
$13.53 €12.12
-27.12%
Cappuccino
$4.46 LBP 399.2K
$3.19 €2.86
39.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 LBP 209.6K
$2.91 €2.61
-19.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 LBP 80.9K
$1.89 €1.70
-52.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.10 LBP 456.3K
$4.01 €3.59
27.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.89 LBP 437.7K
$4.53 €4.06
7.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Beirut
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 LBP 180.5K
$1.31 €1.17
54.20%
White Bread (500g)
$0.91 LBP 81.4K
$2.02 €1.81
-54.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 LBP 196.6K
$1.85 €1.66
18.92%
Eggs
$3.61 LBP 323.5K
$4.83 €4.33
-25.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.87 LBP 973.3K
$16.74 €14.99
-35.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.58 LBP 947.2K
$9.12 €8.17
16.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.12 LBP 1.4M
$19.64 €17.59
-23.01%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 LBP 277.0K
$2.98 €2.67
4.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 LBP 149.2K
$2.02 €1.81
-17.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 LBP 151.9K
$2.70 €2.42
-37.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 LBP 137.9K
$2.80 €2.51
-45.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 LBP 113.1K
$2.09 €1.87
-39.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 LBP 137.3K
$2.07 €1.85
-26.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 LBP 103.9K
$1.46 €1.31
-20.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 LBP 63.8K
$0.94 €0.84
-24.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.96 LBP 265.2K
$6.87 €6.15
-56.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 LBP 988.5K
$7.89 €7.06
39.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 LBP 118.0K
$1.41 €1.26
-6.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 LBP 233.0K
$2.54 €2.27
2.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Beirut
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 LBP 136.9K
$3.14 €2.82
-51.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.4 LBP 6.7M
$25.45 €22.79
196.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.04 LBP 451.2K
$2.99 €2.68
68.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.28 LBP 204.0K
$1.49 €1.34
53.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.53 LBP 2.0M
$33.37 €29.89
-32.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 LBP 93.2K
$1.80 €1.61
-42.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$53.3K LBP 4.8B
$33.2K €29.7K
60.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K LBP 3.0B
$31.7K €28.4K
4.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beirut
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 LBP 18.8M
$180 €162
16.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.80 LBP 2.1M
$13.84 €12.39
71.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.87 LBP 3.4M
$33.70 €30.18
12.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Beirut
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$95.9 LBP 8.6M
$51.5 €46.13
86.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.37 LBP 3.0M
$15.96 €14.29
109.09%
Cinema Ticket
$10.16 LBP 909.0K
$10.99 €9.85
-7.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Beirut
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 LBP 60.6M
$917 €821
-26.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K LBP 940.9M
$16.5K €14.8K
-36.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Beirut
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.4 LBP 5.9M
$87.0 €77.9
-23.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.92 LBP 4.5M
$38.51 €34.49
29.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$141 LBP 12.7M
$106 €94.8
33.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 LBP 10.8M
$120 €107
0.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Beirut
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$946 LBP 84.7M
$1,699 €1,522
-44.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$495 LBP 44.3M
$1,355 €1,214
-63.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,209 LBP 197.7M
$2,603 €2,331
-15.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,044 LBP 93.4M
$2,062 €1,847
-49.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,473 LBP 400.3M
$6,915 €6,193
-35.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,892 LBP 169.3M
$5,128 €4,592
-63.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Beirut
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$710 LBP 63.6M
$2,211 €1,980
-67.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
3.28
235.37%

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

Last update for Beirut: October 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Beirut
$495
Barcelona
$1.4K 174% $860
Groceries & Markets
Beirut
$277
Barcelona
$322 16% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beirut
$271
Barcelona
$228 16% $43
Eating Out
Beirut
$228
Barcelona
$268 17.3% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Beirut
$170
Barcelona
$158 7.2% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Beirut
$116
Barcelona
$74 36.8% $43
Getting Around
Beirut
$98
Barcelona
$48 50.5% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $946 in Beirut and $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays about 3.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $68 in Beirut vs $67 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $322, with Beirut cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇱🇧 Beirut
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
18:30 6:30 PM
17:30 5:30 PM
1 h behind Beirut
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,916,100 Capital
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to LBP – Lebanese Pound Converter

Lebanese Pound exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 89,500 LBP (100,000 LBP = 1.12 USD). 1 EUR = 99,933 LBP (100,000 LBP = 1 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Beirut Barcelona 3,030 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Beirut
  • Barcelona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Beirut and in Barcelona?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,657 in Beirut and $2,453 in Barcelona, so Beirut is about 32% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 68% lower in Beirut. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Beirut and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $946 in Beirut versus $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Beirut and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $677 in Beirut versus $917 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do commuting costs compare in Beirut and in Barcelona?
A monthly transit pass in Barcelona runs roughly 66% less than in Beirut. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How does quality of life compare between Beirut and Barcelona?
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.
How do I decide between Beirut and Barcelona?
It comes down to priorities – Beirut wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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