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: $1,437 in Beirut versus $1,023 in Sidon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Beirut versus $1,745 in Sidon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Beirut versus $2,468 in Sidon.

Living in Beirut is roughly 40% more expensive than Sidon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 7% above, Sidon is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$10.96 LBP 980.9K

-1.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

$60.6 LBP 5.4M

-1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

$8.09 LBP 723.9K

-0.62%

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

$3.28 LBP 293.3K

-0.30%

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

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

$1.66 LBP 148.2K

-4.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

$3.57 LBP 319.5K

-3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

$5.13 LBP 459.0K

-1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$1.79 LBP 160.0K

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

$0.81 LBP 72.1K

4.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

$1.84 LBP 164.5K

-1.09%

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

$3.19 LBP 285.9K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$11.11 LBP 994.0K

3.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

$9.57 LBP 856.3K

0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$11.28 LBP 1.0M

0.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

-0.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

$1.53 LBP 136.8K

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$1.14 LBP 101.7K

0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

$1.06 LBP 94.5K

1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$1.01 LBP 90.6K

-1.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

5.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

-8.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.57 LBP 50.7K

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

$2.46 LBP 220.0K

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

$9.97 LBP 892.2K

-0.20%

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

$2.20 LBP 196.8K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

$2.02 LBP 180.9K

-2.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

$5.05 LBP 451.6K

-2.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

$1.24 LBP 110.7K

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$20.16 LBP 1.8M

-1.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$0.96 LBP 86.1K

-6.25%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

0.60%

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

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

-0.63%

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

$218 LBP 19.5M

$215 LBP 19.2M

1.44%

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

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

$37.11 LBP 3.3M

0.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

$37.07 LBP 3.3M

0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

$32.44 LBP 2.9M

110.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

$9.81 LBP 878.0K

204.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

$6.13 LBP 548.9K

32.63%

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

$297 LBP 26.6M

$300 LBP 26.9M

-1.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

$4,393 LBP 393.2M

0.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

$71.7 LBP 6.4M

-0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

$44.31 LBP 4.0M

1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.8M

$122 LBP 10.9M

-1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

$94.5 LBP 8.5M

1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

$246 LBP 22.0M

229.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

$98.1 LBP 8.8M

276.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

$598 LBP 53.6M

238.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 LBP 85.0M

$397 LBP 35.5M

139.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

$1,019 LBP 91.2M

261.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

$866 LBP 77.5M

128.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 LBP 58.2M

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 Sidon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $809 in Beirut and $246 in Sidon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Beirut vs $61.0 in Sidon. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $235, with Sidon 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 Sidon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sidon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,155 in Beirut and $1,534 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: $809 in Beirut versus $246 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 $1,437 per month in Beirut versus $1,023 in Sidon – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,023 in Sidon versus $1,437 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 40% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.