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: $1,437 in Beirut versus $1,117 in Koura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Beirut versus $1,725 in Koura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Beirut versus $2,333 in Koura.

Living in Beirut is roughly 29% more expensive than Koura, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 7% above, Koura is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$11.02 LBP 986.4K

-2.36%

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

$8.19 LBP 732.8K

-1.83%

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

$3.24 LBP 289.8K

0.93%

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

$0.88 LBP 79.2K

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

$3.56 LBP 318.3K

-3.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

$5.09 LBP 455.1K

-0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$1.71 LBP 152.8K

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

$0.84 LBP 75.0K

1.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

$3.12 LBP 279.1K

2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$11.52 LBP 1.0M

-0.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

$9.38 LBP 839.7K

2.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$11.62 LBP 1.0M

-2.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

$1.81 LBP 162.2K

-4.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

$1.45 LBP 129.6K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$1.13 LBP 101.3K

1.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

$1.05 LBP 93.6K

2.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$0.95 LBP 84.8K

4.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$1.00 LBP 89.3K

4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

$0.84 LBP 75.2K

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.53 LBP 47.0K

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

$2.54 LBP 227.7K

-3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

$10.13 LBP 906.3K

-1.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$1.23 LBP 110.5K

0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

$2.12 LBP 190.0K

3.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

$2.05 LBP 183.4K

-4.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

$5.03 LBP 450.4K

-1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

$1.23 LBP 110.4K

4.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$19.82 LBP 1.8M

0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

-3.23%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

0.44%

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

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$27.4K LBP 2.5B

0.65%

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

$218 LBP 19.5M

$217 LBP 19.4M

0.22%

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

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

$36.98 LBP 3.3M

1.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

$37.61 LBP 3.4M

-0.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

$25.42 LBP 2.3M

169.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

$7.82 LBP 699.7K

3.96%

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

$297 LBP 26.6M

0.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

$4,371 LBP 391.2M

0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

2.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

$45.31 LBP 4.1M

-1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.8M

-0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

$95.4 LBP 8.5M

0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

$250 LBP 22.4M

223.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

$203 LBP 18.2M

81.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

$454 LBP 40.6M

345.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 LBP 85.0M

$346 LBP 30.9M

174.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

$1,154 LBP 103.3M

219.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

$833 LBP 74.6M

137.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 LBP 58.2M

$591 LBP 52.9M

10.11%

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 Koura: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $809 in Beirut and $250 in Koura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 10% 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. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $234, with Koura cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Beirut pays 10% more on average, 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: $809 in Beirut versus $250 in Koura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Beirut. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,437 per month in Beirut versus $1,117 in Koura – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,117 in Koura versus $1,437 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 29% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.