Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Zouk Mikael Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Zouk Mikael

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,655 in Beirut versus $1,004 in Zouk Mikael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Beirut versus $1,577 in Zouk Mikael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,705 in Beirut versus $2,150 in Zouk Mikael.

Living in Beirut is roughly 65% more expensive than in Zouk Mikael, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 20% above, Zouk Mikael is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.16 LBP 1.1M

$11.85 LBP 1.1M

2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 LBP 5.7M

$63.5 LBP 5.7M

0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 LBP 899.8K

$10.18 LBP 911.4K

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$4.67 LBP 417.8K

$4.59 LBP 411.0K

1.74%

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

$2.36 LBP 210.9K

$2.29 LBP 205.4K

3.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

$0.91 LBP 81.5K

-2.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 LBP 446.0K

$5.13 LBP 458.9K

-2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 LBP 451.9K

$4.93 LBP 441.1K

2.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 LBP 172.6K

$1.86 LBP 166.4K

3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

$0.90 LBP 80.4K

-1.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 LBP 192.0K

$2.20 LBP 197.0K

-2.73%

Eggs

$3.65 LBP 326.4K

$3.50 LBP 313.3K

4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 LBP 1.2M

$13.37 LBP 1.2M

2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 LBP 965.1K

$10.39 LBP 930.0K

3.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 LBP 1.3M

$13.99 LBP 1.3M

1.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 LBP 275.6K

$2.99 LBP 267.5K

3.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 LBP 152.1K

$1.64 LBP 146.8K

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 LBP 148.8K

$1.68 LBP 150.4K

-1.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 LBP 133.1K

$1.52 LBP 136.0K

-1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 LBP 121.3K

$1.40 LBP 125.1K

-2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 LBP 148.5K

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

1.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 LBP 104.7K

$1.16 LBP 103.7K

0.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 LBP 66.2K

$0.67 LBP 60.4K

10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 LBP 271.5K

$2.94 LBP 263.4K

3.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 LBP 877.2K

$9.90 LBP 885.8K

-1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 LBP 117.4K

$1.32 LBP 118.0K

-0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 LBP 222.5K

$2.47 LBP 220.9K

0.81%

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 436.9K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 LBP 206.3K

$2.27 LBP 203.5K

1.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

$22.61 LBP 2.0M

-0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.9K

$1.05 LBP 93.5K

-4.76%

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

$52.5K LBP 4.7B

$53.7K LBP 4.8B

-2.08%

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

$32.5K LBP 2.9B

$32.2K LBP 2.9B

0.88%

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

$227 LBP 20.4M

$229 LBP 20.5M

-0.84%

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

$23.70 LBP 2.1M

$23.00 LBP 2.1M

3.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.37 LBP 3.4M

$38.36 LBP 3.4M

0.03%

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

$10.18 LBP 910.7K

-0.29%

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

$680 LBP 60.9M

$694 LBP 62.1M

-1.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K LBP 967.7M

$10.9K LBP 971.5M

-0.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 LBP 6.1M

$67.1 LBP 6.0M

2.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.01 LBP 4.4M

$49.17 LBP 4.4M

-0.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 LBP 12.4M

$137 LBP 12.2M

1.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 LBP 10.8M

$119 LBP 10.7M

1.66%

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 Zouk Mikael: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Beirut vs $64.0 in Zouk Mikael. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $275, with Zouk Mikael 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 Zouk Mikael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zouk Mikael is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,482 in Beirut and $1,506 in Zouk Mikael 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 2% 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 $1,004 in Zouk Mikael – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,004 in Zouk Mikael versus $1,655 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zouk Mikael but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Zouk Mikael 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 Zouk Mikael gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.