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: $1,437 in Beirut versus $1,097 in Zouk Mikael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Beirut versus $1,702 in Zouk Mikael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Beirut versus $2,307 in Zouk Mikael.

Living in Beirut is roughly 31% more expensive than Zouk Mikael, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 7% above, Zouk Mikael is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$10.95 LBP 980.4K

-1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

-0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

$7.92 LBP 708.9K

1.52%

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

$3.36 LBP 301.0K

-2.68%

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

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

$1.60 LBP 142.8K

-1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

$0.92 LBP 82.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

$3.55 LBP 317.7K

-2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

$4.97 LBP 444.7K

1.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$1.73 LBP 155.3K

3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

$0.32 LBP 28.7K

165.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

$1.83 LBP 163.6K

-0.55%

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

$3.23 LBP 289.0K

-1.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$5.11 LBP 457.3K

125.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

$9.58 LBP 857.6K

0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

-1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

-4.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

$1.51 LBP 134.9K

-3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

1.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

$1.06 LBP 94.5K

1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$0.38 LBP 34.3K

160.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

$0.84 LBP 75.2K

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.51 LBP 46.0K

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

$2.45 LBP 219.6K

0.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

$10.14 LBP 907.5K

-1.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$0.85 LBP 76.0K

45.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

$2.23 LBP 199.2K

-1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

$5.05 LBP 451.8K

-2.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

$1.29 LBP 115.2K

-0.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$20.01 LBP 1.8M

-0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

-3.23%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

-0.34%

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

$169 LBP 15.1M

28.71%

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

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

$37.58 LBP 3.4M

-0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

$36.54 LBP 3.3M

2.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

3.83%

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

$297 LBP 26.6M

$298 LBP 26.7M

-0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

$4,399 LBP 393.7M

0.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

2.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

$45.73 LBP 4.1M

-2.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.8M

$75.6 LBP 6.8M

59.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

$94.0 LBP 8.4M

1.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

$492 LBP 44.0M

64.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

$300 LBP 26.8M

23.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

$1,020 LBP 91.2M

98.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 LBP 85.0M

$501 LBP 44.8M

89.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 LBP 58.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

4.25

162.59%

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

Last update for Beirut: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zouk Mikael: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $809 in Beirut and $492 in Zouk Mikael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Beirut vs $60.0 in Zouk Mikael. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $208, 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,155 in Beirut and $1,645 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $809 in Beirut versus $492 in Zouk Mikael. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 $1,097 in Zouk Mikael – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,097 in Zouk Mikael versus $1,437 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 31% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.