Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Catania

For one person, living is cheaper in Catania: $1,560 a month against $1,657 in Beirut, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. The total is higher in Beirut despite lower rent and utilities.

Beirut, Lebanon
Catania, Italy
Beirut
🇱🇧 Lebanon
$1,657
/mo nomad
Catania
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,560
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Beirut and in Catania

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 Catania actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,657 in Beirut versus $1,560 in Catania.

  • Beirut $1,657
  • Catania $1,560

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,643 in Beirut versus $2,361 in Catania.

  • Beirut $2,643
  • Catania $2,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,628 in Beirut versus $3,163 in Catania.

  • Beirut $3,628
  • Catania $3,163

Living in Beirut is roughly 6% more expensive than in Catania, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 22% above, Catania 15% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Beirut
Catania
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.13 LBP 1.1M
$16.63 €14.90
-27.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 LBP 6.1M
$55.1 €49.34
23.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.86 LBP 882.6K
$11.11 €9.95
-11.25%
Cappuccino
$4.46 LBP 399.2K
$2.16 €1.94
106.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 LBP 209.6K
$2.99 €2.68
-21.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 LBP 80.9K
$2.08 €1.87
-56.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.10 LBP 456.3K
$6.54 €5.86
-22.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.89 LBP 437.7K
$4.24 €3.80
15.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Beirut
Catania
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 LBP 180.5K
$1.27 €1.14
59.06%
White Bread (500g)
$0.91 LBP 81.4K
$1.67 €1.50
-45.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 LBP 196.6K
$2.56 €2.29
-14.06%
Eggs
$3.61 LBP 323.5K
$3.41 €3.06
5.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.87 LBP 973.3K
$11.34 €10.16
-4.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.58 LBP 947.2K
$11.82 €10.59
-10.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.12 LBP 1.4M
$15.62 €13.99
-3.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 LBP 277.0K
$1.99 €1.78
55.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 LBP 149.2K
$1.68 €1.51
-0.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 LBP 151.9K
$1.39 €1.25
22.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 LBP 137.9K
$2.63 €2.36
-41.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 LBP 113.1K
$1.75 €1.57
-28.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 LBP 137.3K
$1.26 €1.13
21.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 LBP 103.9K
$1.27 €1.14
-8.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 LBP 63.8K
$0.43 €0.39
65.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.96 LBP 265.2K
$6.82 €6.11
-56.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 LBP 988.5K
$7.60 €6.81
45.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 LBP 118.0K
$1.83 €1.64
-27.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 LBP 233.0K
$1.52 €1.36
71.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Beirut
Catania
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 LBP 136.9K
$1.54 €1.38
-0.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.4 LBP 6.7M
$38.74 €34.72
94.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.04 LBP 451.2K
$4.39 €3.93
14.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.28 LBP 204.0K
$1.15 €1.03
98.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.53 LBP 2.0M
$22.20 €19.90
1.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 LBP 93.2K
$2.04 €1.83
-49.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$53.3K LBP 4.8B
$35.6K €31.9K
49.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K LBP 3.0B
$36.4K €32.6K
-8.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beirut
Catania
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 LBP 18.8M
$307 €275
-31.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.80 LBP 2.1M
$10.53 €9.43
126.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.87 LBP 3.4M
$35.24 €31.58
7.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Beirut
Catania
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$95.9 LBP 8.6M
$53.6 €48.00
79.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.37 LBP 3.0M
$14.42 €12.92
131.41%
Cinema Ticket
$10.16 LBP 909.0K
$9.06 €8.12
12.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Beirut
Catania
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 LBP 60.6M
$449 €403
50.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K LBP 940.9M
$6,702 €6,006
56.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Beirut
Catania
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.4 LBP 5.9M
$84.2 €75.4
-21.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.92 LBP 4.5M
$33.47 €29.99
49.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$141 LBP 12.7M
$86.7 €77.7
63.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 LBP 10.8M
$128 €114
-5.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Beirut
Catania
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$946 LBP 84.7M
$638 €571
48.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$495 LBP 44.3M
$400 €359
23.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,209 LBP 197.7M
$1,115 €999
98.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,044 LBP 93.4M
$764 €685
36.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,473 LBP 400.3M
$2,060 €1,846
117.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,892 LBP 169.3M
$1,478 €1,324
28.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Beirut
Catania
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$710 LBP 63.6M
$1,759 €1,576
-59.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
3.55
209.86%

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

Last update for Beirut: October 27, 2026

Last update for Catania: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Beirut
$495
Catania
$400 19.2% $95
Groceries & Markets
Beirut
$277
Catania
$277 0.1% $0.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beirut
$271
Catania
$352 29.9% $81
Eating Out
Beirut
$228
Catania
$254 11.1% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Beirut
$170
Catania
$149 12.3% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Beirut
$116
Catania
$72 38.3% $45
Getting Around
Beirut
$98
Catania
$55 43.8% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $946 in Beirut and $638 in Catania. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Catania pays about 2.5 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68 in Beirut vs $55 in Catania. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $277, with Beirut cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇱🇧 Beirut
🇮🇹 Catania
🕒 Local time
15:52 3:52 PM
14:52 2:52 PM
1 h behind Beirut
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,916,100 Capital
298,037
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to LBP – Lebanese Pound Converter

Lebanese Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 89,500 LBP (100,000 LBP = 1.12 USD). 1 EUR = 99,877 LBP (100,000 LBP = 1 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Beirut Catania 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Beirut
  • Catania

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 Catania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Catania cheaper than Beirut?
Catania is about 6% cheaper overall, especially in leisure, transport, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Beirut or Catania?
On paper, salaries run 60% 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.
What is the rent difference between Beirut and Catania?
Rent for a central apartment: $946 in Beirut versus $638 in Catania. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Catania runs roughly 49% less than in Beirut. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What are total monthly expenses in Beirut and in Catania?
All in, you’ll spend $1,657 per month in Beirut versus $1,560 in Catania – Catania is about 6% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Beirut or in Catania?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,500. Catania is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Beirut or in Catania?
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.

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