Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Koura Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Koura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,699 in Beirut versus $1,214 in Koura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,699 in Beirut versus $1,902 in Koura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,698 in Beirut versus $2,589 in Koura.

Living in Beirut is roughly 40% more expensive than in Koura, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 24% above, Koura is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 LBP 1.1M

$11.80 LBP 1.1M

3.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 LBP 5.7M

$64.9 LBP 5.8M

-2.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 LBP 908.8K

$10.20 LBP 912.7K

-0.49%

Cappuccino

$4.74 LBP 424.0K

$4.60 LBP 411.5K

3.04%

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

$2.29 LBP 204.9K

$2.34 LBP 209.9K

-2.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 LBP 80.0K

$0.89 LBP 79.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 LBP 436.0K

$4.95 LBP 443.3K

-1.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 452.5K

$4.88 LBP 437.0K

3.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 LBP 167.8K

$1.86 LBP 166.1K

0.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 LBP 80.7K

$0.82 LBP 73.8K

9.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 LBP 198.0K

$2.22 LBP 198.5K

-0.45%

Eggs

$3.52 LBP 315.3K

$3.50 LBP 313.6K

0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 LBP 1.2M

$13.27 LBP 1.2M

0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.62 LBP 950.6K

$10.66 LBP 954.0K

-0.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 LBP 1.2M

$13.93 LBP 1.2M

-0.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 LBP 265.7K

$3.11 LBP 278.0K

-4.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 LBP 153.0K

$1.71 LBP 153.3K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 150.8K

$1.68 LBP 150.1K

0.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 LBP 136.5K

$1.51 LBP 135.4K

1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 LBP 124.6K

$1.41 LBP 126.4K

-1.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 LBP 145.4K

$1.63 LBP 146.0K

-0.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LBP 107.5K

$1.21 LBP 108.7K

-0.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LBP 60.5K

$0.73 LBP 65.1K

-6.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 LBP 269.9K

$3.02 LBP 270.0K

Wine (Bottle)

$10.01 LBP 895.9K

$10.16 LBP 909.2K

-1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 LBP 118.2K

$1.28 LBP 114.8K

3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 LBP 229.1K

$2.48 LBP 222.0K

3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 LBP 198.7K

$1.98 LBP 177.2K

12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.1 LBP 6.8M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 LBP 446.4K

$4.88 LBP 436.4K

2.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 LBP 206.1K

$2.23 LBP 199.7K

3.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.65 LBP 2.0M

$22.84 LBP 2.0M

-0.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 LBP 93.8K

$0.90 LBP 80.2K

16.67%

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

$53.2K LBP 4.8B

$54.3K LBP 4.9B

-1.99%

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

$33.0K LBP 3.0B

0.23%

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

$230 LBP 20.6M

$228 LBP 20.4M

0.58%

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

$23.23 LBP 2.1M

$23.27 LBP 2.1M

-0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 LBP 3.3M

$37.50 LBP 3.4M

-0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.0 LBP 7.6M

$25.23 LBP 2.3M

236.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.36 LBP 3.1M

$9.96 LBP 891.1K

244.98%

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 LBP 880.3K

$9.84 LBP 881.0K

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

$676 LBP 60.5M

-0.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K LBP 968.5M

$10.9K LBP 973.1M

-0.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 LBP 6.0M

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

-1.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.37 LBP 4.3M

$48.54 LBP 4.3M

-0.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 LBP 12.5M

$137 LBP 12.3M

1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 LBP 10.7M

$120 LBP 10.8M

-0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 LBP 84.6M

$250 LBP 22.4M

277.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 LBP 44.4M

$204 LBP 18.2M

143.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 LBP 199.2M

$454 LBP 40.6M

390.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 LBP 94.6M

$346 LBP 30.9M

205.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 LBP 350.7M

$1,140 LBP 102.1M

243.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,871 LBP 167.4M

$848 LBP 75.9M

120.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 LBP 64.1M

$600 LBP 53.7M

19.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Beirut: September 13, 2026

Last update for Koura: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $945 in Beirut and $250 in Koura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Beirut vs $65.0 in Koura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $277 per month, with Beirut 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 Koura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koura is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Beirut, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $945 in Beirut versus $250 in Koura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Beirut pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,699 per month in Beirut versus $1,214 in Koura – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,214 in Koura versus $1,699 in Beirut, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Koura but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Koura 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 Koura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.