Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Santander Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Santander

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,655 in Beirut versus $1,701 in Santander.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Beirut versus $2,647 in Santander.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,705 in Beirut versus $3,592 in Santander.

Living in Beirut costs roughly 3% less than in Santander, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 20% above, Santander 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.16 LBP 1.1M

$17.26 €14.94

-29.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 LBP 5.7M

$57.5 €49.82

10.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 LBP 899.8K

$11.80 €10.21

-14.83%

Cappuccino

$4.67 LBP 417.8K

$2.51 €2.17

86.06%

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

$2.36 LBP 210.9K

$2.64 €2.28

-10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

$1.82 €1.58

-51.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 LBP 446.0K

$3.59 €3.11

38.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 LBP 451.9K

$4.10 €3.55

23.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 LBP 172.6K

$1.37 €1.19

40.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

$2.84 €2.46

-68.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 LBP 192.0K

$2.54 €2.20

-15.75%

Eggs

$3.65 LBP 326.4K

$3.96 €3.42

-7.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 LBP 1.2M

$22.90 €19.82

-40.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 LBP 965.1K

$8.00 €6.92

34.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 LBP 1.3M

$14.27 €12.36

-0.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 LBP 275.6K

$2.60 €2.25

18.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 LBP 152.1K

$2.34 €2.03

-27.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 LBP 148.8K

$3.10 €2.68

-46.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 LBP 133.1K

$3.82 €3.31

-60.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 LBP 121.3K

$1.96 €1.70

-30.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 LBP 148.5K

$2.54 €2.20

-34.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 LBP 104.7K

$1.53 €1.32

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 LBP 66.2K

$0.80 €0.70

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 LBP 271.5K

$8.16 €7.06

-62.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 LBP 877.2K

$5.67 €4.91

72.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 LBP 117.4K

$1.24 €1.07

5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 LBP 222.5K

$2.44 €2.12

2.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 LBP 200.2K

$1.67 €1.45

34.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 LBP 6.9M

$18.89 €16.35

308.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 LBP 436.8K

$5.68 €4.91

-14.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 LBP 206.3K

$2.35 €2.03

-2.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

$40.13 €34.74

-44.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.9K

$1.71 €1.48

-41.52%

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

$52.5K LBP 4.7B

$39.0K €33.8K

34.59%

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

$32.5K LBP 2.9B

$31.1K €26.9K

4.58%

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

$227 LBP 20.4M

$176 €152

29.49%

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

$23.70 LBP 2.1M

$30.32 €26.24

-21.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.37 LBP 3.4M

$38.12 €33.00

0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.7 LBP 7.6M

$47.18 €40.85

79.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.38 LBP 3.1M

$21.24 €18.39

61.86%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 LBP 908.6K

$9.28 €8.04

9.38%

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

$680 LBP 60.9M

$496 €429

37.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K LBP 967.7M

$9,448 €8,179

14.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 LBP 6.1M

$131 €113

-47.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.01 LBP 4.4M

$70.6 €61.1

-30.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 LBP 12.4M

$92.0 €79.7

50.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 LBP 10.8M

$116 €100

4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$929 LBP 83.1M

$860 €744

7.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 LBP 45.1M

$587 €508

-14.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 LBP 201.8M

$1,567 €1,357

43.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 LBP 94.7M

$1,155 €999

-8.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,902 LBP 349.3M

$3,369 €2,916

15.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,805 LBP 161.6M

$2,801 €2,425

-35.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 LBP 64.1M

$1,875 €1,624

-61.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

214.29%

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

Last update for Beirut: September 6, 2026

Last update for Santander: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $929 in Beirut and $860 in Santander. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santander pays 162% 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 $58.0 in Santander. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $327, with Beirut 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 Santander: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beirut is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 162% lower in Santander. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $929 in Beirut versus $860 in Santander. 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 $1,701 in Santander – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Beirut runs roughly 308% less than in Santander. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,655 in Beirut versus $1,701 in Santander, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Beirut but tight or insufficient in Santander. The gap between the two cities makes Beirut 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.

Safety-wise, Beirut and Santander 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 Beirut gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Santander. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.