Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,655 in Beirut versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Beirut versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,705 in Beirut versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Beirut is roughly 31% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 20% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.16 LBP 1.1M

$4.66 ฿154

160.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 LBP 5.7M

$32.22 ฿1,065

97.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 LBP 899.8K

$8.68 ฿287

15.78%

Cappuccino

$4.67 LBP 417.8K

$2.90 ฿95.8

61.03%

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

$2.36 LBP 210.9K

$0.84 ฿27.89

180.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

$0.49 ฿16.16

81.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 LBP 446.0K

$2.48 ฿82.0

100.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 LBP 451.9K

$3.73 ฿123

35.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 LBP 172.6K

$1.89 ฿62.3

2.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

$1.41 ฿46.54

-36.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 LBP 192.0K

$1.62 ฿53.6

32.10%

Eggs

$3.65 LBP 326.4K

$2.24 ฿74.1

62.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 LBP 1.2M

$19.84 ฿656

-31.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 LBP 965.1K

$3.48 ฿115

209.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 LBP 1.3M

$11.37 ฿376

25.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 LBP 275.6K

$2.90 ฿95.8

6.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 LBP 152.1K

$1.72 ฿57.0

-1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 LBP 148.8K

$2.27 ฿75.1

-26.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 LBP 133.1K

$2.13 ฿70.4

-30.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 LBP 121.3K

$1.47 ฿48.72

-7.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 LBP 148.5K

$1.42 ฿46.92

16.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 LBP 104.7K

$1.10 ฿36.25

6.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 LBP 66.2K

$0.60 ฿19.76

23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 LBP 271.5K

$4.31 ฿142

-29.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 LBP 877.2K

$18.60 ฿615

-47.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 LBP 117.4K

$1.80 ฿59.5

-27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 LBP 222.5K

$2.97 ฿98.0

-16.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 LBP 200.2K

$2.25 ฿74.2

-0.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 LBP 6.9M

$23.49 ฿776

228.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 LBP 436.8K

$3.10 ฿102

57.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 LBP 206.3K

$1.08 ฿35.56

112.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

$3.87 ฿128

480.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.9K

$1.43 ฿47.16

-30.07%

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

$52.5K LBP 4.7B

$27.8K ฿918.0K

89.09%

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

$32.5K LBP 2.9B

$27.0K ฿891.5K

20.40%

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

$227 LBP 20.4M

$105 ฿3,462

116.97%

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

$23.70 LBP 2.1M

$11.39 ฿376

108.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.37 LBP 3.4M

$17.54 ฿580

118.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.7 LBP 7.6M

$54.3 ฿1,795

55.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.38 LBP 3.1M

$11.44 ฿378

200.52%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 LBP 908.6K

$7.78 ฿257

30.46%

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

$680 LBP 60.9M

$576 ฿19.0K

17.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K LBP 967.7M

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-6.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 LBP 6.1M

$63.6 ฿2,103

7.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.01 LBP 4.4M

$29.10 ฿961

68.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 LBP 12.4M

$96.2 ฿3,179

43.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 LBP 10.8M

$90.0 ฿2,974

34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$929 LBP 83.1M

$733 ฿24.2K

26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 LBP 45.1M

$501 ฿16.5K

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 LBP 201.8M

$2,126 ฿70.2K

6.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 LBP 94.7M

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-15.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,902 LBP 349.3M

$3,534 ฿116.8K

10.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,805 LBP 161.6M

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-31.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 LBP 64.1M

$508 ฿16.8K

41.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Beirut: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $929 in Beirut and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 41% 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: $64.0 in Beirut vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $275 per month, with Phuket 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% 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: $929 in Beirut versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,655 per month in Beirut versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 228% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,655 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beirut, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Beirut and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.