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: $1,390 in Beirut versus $1,098 in Zouk Mikael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,293 in Beirut versus $1,697 in Zouk Mikael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,195 in Beirut versus $2,296 in Zouk Mikael.

Living in Beirut is roughly 27% more expensive than in Zouk Mikael, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 4% above, Zouk Mikael is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

$10.66 LBP 954.1K

-0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

$60.3 LBP 5.4M

-0.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

$7.98 LBP 714.1K

-1.75%

Cappuccino

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

$3.26 LBP 291.8K

1.84%

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

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

$1.59 LBP 142.1K

-1.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

$0.92 LBP 81.9K

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

$3.55 LBP 317.3K

-1.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

$4.94 LBP 442.1K

0.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

$1.71 LBP 152.8K

3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

$0.30 LBP 26.5K

163.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

$1.83 LBP 163.5K

-0.55%

Eggs

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

$3.21 LBP 287.0K

-3.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

$4.98 LBP 445.7K

122.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

$9.41 LBP 842.6K

-0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

$11.62 LBP 1.0M

-1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

$1.75 LBP 156.3K

-0.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

$1.53 LBP 137.1K

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

$1.15 LBP 102.6K

-0.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

$1.05 LBP 93.7K

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

$0.42 LBP 37.5K

138.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

$0.81 LBP 72.9K

9.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

$0.52 LBP 46.4K

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

$2.48 LBP 222.4K

1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

$9.92 LBP 888.2K

2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

51.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

$2.13 LBP 190.6K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

$5.09 LBP 455.4K

-2.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

$1.26 LBP 112.8K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$19.95 LBP 1.8M

0.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

$0.88 LBP 78.7K

5.68%

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

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

$35.0K LBP 3.1B

-0.40%

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

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$27.3K LBP 2.4B

2.54%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$167 LBP 15.0M

29.69%

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

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

$37.35 LBP 3.3M

0.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

$37.61 LBP 3.4M

-1.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

$8.10 LBP 724.9K

-3.33%

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

$305 LBP 27.3M

$306 LBP 27.4M

-0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

$4,529 LBP 405.4M

-0.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

$70.8 LBP 6.3M

-1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

$44.67 LBP 4.0M

0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.9M

$74.9 LBP 6.7M

62.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

$93.7 LBP 8.4M

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 LBP 70.6M

$501 LBP 44.9M

57.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 LBP 33.7M

$304 LBP 27.2M

23.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

$998 LBP 89.3M

96.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 LBP 86.8M

$510 LBP 45.6M

90.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 LBP 64.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zouk Mikael: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Beirut and $501 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 $233 vs $206, 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. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,085 in Beirut and $1,647 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: $789 in Beirut versus $501 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 $1,390 per month in Beirut versus $1,098 in Zouk Mikael – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,098 in Zouk Mikael versus $1,390 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 27% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.