Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Sidon Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Sidon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,390 in Beirut versus $1,019 in Sidon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,293 in Beirut versus $1,708 in Sidon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,195 in Beirut versus $2,396 in Sidon.

Living in Beirut is roughly 36% more expensive than in Sidon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 4% above, Sidon is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

$10.94 LBP 978.9K

-2.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

$60.6 LBP 5.4M

-1.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

$7.91 LBP 708.3K

-0.88%

Cappuccino

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

$3.41 LBP 305.5K

-2.64%

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

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

$1.60 LBP 142.9K

-1.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

$0.89 LBP 79.5K

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

$3.57 LBP 319.1K

-2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

$5.07 LBP 453.8K

-2.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

$1.70 LBP 152.0K

4.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

$0.80 LBP 71.9K

-1.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

$1.82 LBP 162.8K

Eggs

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

$3.16 LBP 283.0K

-1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

$11.08 LBP 991.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

$9.35 LBP 837.2K

0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

$11.65 LBP 1.0M

-1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

$1.74 LBP 155.6K

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

$1.50 LBP 134.6K

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

$1.13 LBP 101.4K

0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

$1.06 LBP 94.8K

-0.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

$1.00 LBP 89.5K

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$1.03 LBP 92.3K

0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

$0.82 LBP 73.3K

8.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

$0.56 LBP 49.7K

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

$2.51 LBP 224.7K

0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

$9.81 LBP 878.4K

3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

$1.29 LBP 115.4K

0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

$2.13 LBP 190.4K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

$2.02 LBP 180.8K

-2.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

$4.97 LBP 444.5K

-0.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

$1.28 LBP 114.7K

-1.56%

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

$0.95 LBP 85.0K

-2.11%

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

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

$35.6K LBP 3.2B

-2.15%

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

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$28.2K LBP 2.5B

-0.91%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$214 LBP 19.2M

1.25%

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

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

$38.03 LBP 3.4M

-1.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

$37.53 LBP 3.4M

-0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

$33.48 LBP 3.0M

103.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

$9.97 LBP 892.6K

197.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

$6.18 LBP 552.8K

26.70%

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

$305 LBP 27.3M

$306 LBP 27.4M

-0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

$4,454 LBP 398.6M

1.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

-1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

$44.83 LBP 4.0M

-0.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.9M

0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

$96.2 LBP 8.6M

-1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 LBP 70.6M

$253 LBP 22.6M

212.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 LBP 33.7M

$102 LBP 9.1M

270.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

$596 LBP 53.4M

228.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 LBP 86.8M

$394 LBP 35.2M

146.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 LBP 64.0M

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 Sidon: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Beirut and $253 in Sidon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Beirut vs $61.0 in Sidon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $233 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 Sidon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sidon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,085 in Beirut and $1,529 in Sidon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $789 in Beirut versus $253 in Sidon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Beirut. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,390 per month in Beirut versus $1,019 in Sidon – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,019 in Sidon versus $1,390 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sidon but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Sidon 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 Sidon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.