Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Zgharta Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Zgharta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,655 in Beirut versus $995 in Zgharta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Beirut versus $1,580 in Zgharta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,705 in Beirut versus $2,165 in Zgharta.

Living in Beirut is roughly 66% more expensive than in Zgharta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 20% above, Zgharta is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.16 LBP 1.1M

$12.19 LBP 1.1M

-0.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 LBP 5.7M

$63.3 LBP 5.7M

0.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 LBP 899.8K

$9.96 LBP 891.1K

0.90%

Cappuccino

$4.67 LBP 417.8K

$4.58 LBP 409.6K

1.97%

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

$2.36 LBP 210.9K

$2.30 LBP 205.5K

2.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

$0.86 LBP 76.8K

3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 LBP 446.0K

$4.87 LBP 435.9K

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 LBP 451.9K

$4.87 LBP 435.7K

3.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 LBP 172.6K

$1.96 LBP 175.2K

-1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

1.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 LBP 192.0K

$2.12 LBP 190.1K

0.94%

Eggs

$3.65 LBP 326.4K

$3.64 LBP 325.3K

0.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 LBP 1.2M

$13.56 LBP 1.2M

0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 LBP 965.1K

$10.54 LBP 943.1K

2.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 LBP 1.3M

$14.26 LBP 1.3M

-0.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 LBP 275.6K

$3.01 LBP 269.4K

2.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 LBP 152.1K

$1.65 LBP 147.3K

3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 LBP 148.8K

$1.60 LBP 143.3K

3.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 LBP 133.1K

$1.54 LBP 137.7K

-3.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 LBP 121.3K

$1.35 LBP 120.8K

0.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 LBP 148.5K

$1.64 LBP 146.9K

1.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 LBP 104.7K

$1.17 LBP 104.4K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 LBP 66.2K

$0.74 LBP 65.9K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 LBP 271.5K

$2.96 LBP 264.7K

2.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 LBP 877.2K

$10.02 LBP 897.1K

-2.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 LBP 117.4K

$1.34 LBP 119.5K

-2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 LBP 222.5K

$2.46 LBP 220.3K

1.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 LBP 200.2K

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 LBP 6.9M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 LBP 436.8K

$4.88 LBP 436.6K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 LBP 206.3K

$2.19 LBP 196.3K

5.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

$22.28 LBP 2.0M

0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.9K

$1.00 LBP 89.7K

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

$52.5K LBP 4.7B

$53.2K LBP 4.8B

-1.32%

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

$32.5K LBP 2.9B

$32.3K LBP 2.9B

0.50%

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

$227 LBP 20.4M

$227 LBP 20.3M

0.30%

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

$23.70 LBP 2.1M

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.37 LBP 3.4M

$37.97 LBP 3.4M

1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.7 LBP 7.6M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.38 LBP 3.1M

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 LBP 908.6K

$10.09 LBP 903.1K

0.59%

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

$680 LBP 60.9M

$681 LBP 60.9M

-0.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K LBP 967.7M

$10.9K LBP 978.0M

-1.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 LBP 6.1M

$67.0 LBP 6.0M

2.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.01 LBP 4.4M

$49.70 LBP 4.4M

-1.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 LBP 12.4M

$137 LBP 12.3M

0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 LBP 10.8M

0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$929 LBP 83.1M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 LBP 45.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 LBP 201.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 LBP 94.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,902 LBP 349.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,805 LBP 161.6M

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 6, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Beirut vs $63.0 in Zgharta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $279 per month, with Zgharta 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 Zgharta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zgharta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,482 in Beirut and $1,493 in Zgharta 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Beirut. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,655 per month in Beirut versus $995 in Zgharta – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $995 in Zgharta versus $1,655 in Beirut, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zgharta but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Zgharta 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 Zgharta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.