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: $1,390 in Beirut versus $1,137 in Koura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,293 in Beirut versus $1,747 in Koura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,195 in Beirut versus $2,357 in Koura.

Living in Beirut is roughly 22% more expensive than in Koura, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 4% above, Koura is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

$10.94 LBP 979.3K

-2.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

$61.0 LBP 5.5M

-1.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

$7.96 LBP 712.2K

-1.51%

Cappuccino

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

$3.29 LBP 294.4K

0.91%

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

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

$1.57 LBP 140.2K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

$3.47 LBP 310.6K

0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

$4.93 LBP 440.9K

0.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

$1.70 LBP 152.4K

4.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

$0.79 LBP 71.0K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

$1.74 LBP 155.8K

4.60%

Eggs

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

$3.20 LBP 286.4K

-3.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

$11.34 LBP 1.0M

-2.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

$9.37 LBP 838.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

$11.65 LBP 1.0M

-1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

$1.82 LBP 163.1K

-4.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

$1.47 LBP 131.7K

-1.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

$1.13 LBP 101.3K

0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

$1.06 LBP 94.7K

-0.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

$1.00 LBP 89.2K

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$1.04 LBP 92.7K

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

$0.89 LBP 79.3K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

$2.48 LBP 221.9K

1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

$9.88 LBP 884.6K

3.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

$2.20 LBP 197.2K

-3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

$2.06 LBP 184.3K

-4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

$5.04 LBP 450.9K

-1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

$1.23 LBP 109.8K

2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$20.17 LBP 1.8M

-0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

$0.94 LBP 84.2K

-1.06%

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

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

0.87%

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

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$28.1K LBP 2.5B

-0.51%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$212 LBP 19.0M

2.09%

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

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

$37.90 LBP 3.4M

-1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

$37.12 LBP 3.3M

0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

$25.12 LBP 2.2M

171.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

$7.87 LBP 704.5K

-0.51%

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

$305 LBP 27.3M

$299 LBP 26.8M

1.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

$4,434 LBP 396.8M

1.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

$71.9 LBP 6.4M

-3.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

$44.75 LBP 4.0M

-0.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.9M

$122 LBP 10.9M

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

$92.6 LBP 8.3M

2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 LBP 70.6M

$246 LBP 22.0M

221.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 LBP 33.7M

$200 LBP 17.9M

87.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

$445 LBP 39.9M

339.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 LBP 86.8M

$352 LBP 31.5M

175.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

$1,156 LBP 103.5M

241.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

$844 LBP 75.5M

131.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 LBP 64.0M

$594 LBP 53.2M

20.31%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Koura: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Beirut and $246 in Koura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 20% 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: $60.0 in Beirut vs $61.0 in Koura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $234 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 Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $789 in Beirut versus $246 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 $1,390 per month in Beirut versus $1,137 in Koura – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,137 in Koura versus $1,390 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 22% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.