Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Zahlah Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Zahlah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,699 in Beirut versus $986 in Zahlah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,699 in Beirut versus $1,607 in Zahlah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,698 in Beirut versus $2,227 in Zahlah.

Living in Beirut is roughly 72% more expensive than in Zahlah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 24% above, Zahlah is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 LBP 1.1M

$12.07 LBP 1.1M

0.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 LBP 5.7M

$63.6 LBP 5.7M

-0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 LBP 908.8K

$9.87 LBP 883.7K

2.84%

Cappuccino

$4.74 LBP 424.0K

$4.70 LBP 420.5K

0.85%

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

$2.29 LBP 204.9K

$2.27 LBP 203.4K

0.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 LBP 80.0K

$0.83 LBP 74.2K

7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 LBP 436.0K

$5.01 LBP 448.8K

-2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 452.5K

$5.14 LBP 459.9K

-1.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 LBP 167.8K

$1.93 LBP 172.7K

-3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 LBP 80.7K

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 LBP 198.0K

$2.12 LBP 189.3K

4.25%

Eggs

$3.52 LBP 315.3K

$3.53 LBP 315.8K

-0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 LBP 1.2M

$13.26 LBP 1.2M

0.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.62 LBP 950.6K

$10.47 LBP 937.3K

1.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 LBP 1.2M

$14.33 LBP 1.3M

-2.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 LBP 265.7K

$2.98 LBP 266.9K

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 LBP 153.0K

$1.71 LBP 152.7K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 150.8K

$1.69 LBP 151.7K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 LBP 136.5K

$1.52 LBP 136.0K

0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 LBP 124.6K

$1.42 LBP 126.8K

-2.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 LBP 145.4K

$1.69 LBP 150.8K

-4.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LBP 107.5K

$1.16 LBP 103.9K

3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LBP 60.5K

$0.69 LBP 61.9K

-1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 LBP 269.9K

$3.09 LBP 276.4K

-2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.01 LBP 895.9K

$10.10 LBP 903.7K

-0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 LBP 118.2K

$1.34 LBP 119.7K

-1.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 LBP 229.1K

$2.56 LBP 229.3K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 LBP 198.7K

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.1 LBP 6.8M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 LBP 446.4K

$5.08 LBP 454.4K

-1.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 LBP 206.1K

$2.26 LBP 202.4K

1.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.65 LBP 2.0M

$22.27 LBP 2.0M

1.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 LBP 93.8K

$1.00 LBP 89.4K

5.00%

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

$53.2K LBP 4.8B

$53.7K LBP 4.8B

-0.90%

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

$33.0K LBP 3.0B

$32.6K LBP 2.9B

1.40%

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

$230 LBP 20.6M

$232 LBP 20.8M

-1.05%

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

$23.23 LBP 2.1M

$23.16 LBP 2.1M

0.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 LBP 3.3M

$38.07 LBP 3.4M

-2.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.0 LBP 7.6M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.36 LBP 3.1M

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 LBP 880.3K

$9.91 LBP 887.0K

-0.71%

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

$676 LBP 60.5M

$688 LBP 61.6M

-1.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K LBP 968.5M

$10.7K LBP 957.1M

1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 LBP 6.0M

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

-1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.37 LBP 4.3M

$48.59 LBP 4.3M

-0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 LBP 12.5M

$138 LBP 12.3M

1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 LBP 10.7M

$120 LBP 10.7M

-0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 LBP 84.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 LBP 44.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 LBP 199.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 LBP 94.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 LBP 350.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,871 LBP 167.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 LBP 64.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Beirut: September 13, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Beirut vs $64.0 in Zahlah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $278 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 Zahlah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zahlah is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,549 in Beirut and $1,479 in Zahlah 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.

Shoppers in Beirut pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,699 per month in Beirut versus $986 in Zahlah – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $986 in Zahlah versus $1,699 in Beirut, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zahlah but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Zahlah 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 Zahlah 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 Zahlah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.