Cost of Living Comparison Between Benghazi and Zawiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Benghazi and Zawiya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $439 per month in Benghazi vs $422 in Zawiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $706 per month in Benghazi vs $694 in Zawiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $973 per month in Benghazi vs $967 in Zawiya, rent included.

Benghazi costs about 4% more than Zawiya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Benghazi and Zawiya are more affordable than the global median – Benghazi 67% lower, Zawiya 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.69 LYD 17.15

$2.73 LYD 17.41

-1.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.71 LYD 93.7

$18.45 LYD 118

-20.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.71 LYD 17.28

$3.75 LYD 23.89

-27.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

$0.53 LYD 3.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 LYD 2.26

$0.66 LYD 4.23

-46.97%

Cappuccino

$0.68 LYD 4.31

$0.48 LYD 3.03

41.67%

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

$0.40 LYD 2.57

$0.46 LYD 2.91

-13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 LYD 0.96

$0.11 LYD 0.67

36.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 LYD 5.72

$1.03 LYD 6.54

-12.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 LYD 4.17

$1.18 LYD 7.49

-44.07%

Eggs

$1.32 LYD 8.41

$1.17 LYD 7.48

12.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 LYD 39.13

$4.99 LYD 31.76

23.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 LYD 23.64

$3.30 LYD 21.04

12.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.63 LYD 55.0

$10.39 LYD 66.2

-16.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 LYD 9.05

$2.06 LYD 13.11

-31.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.54

$1.33 LYD 8.49

-11.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 LYD 4.34

$0.75 LYD 4.81

-9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 LYD 3.11

$0.53 LYD 3.36

-7.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 LYD 3.09

$0.62 LYD 3.94

-20.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 LYD 2.83

$0.33 LYD 2.12

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 LYD 1.72

$0.38 LYD 2.43

-28.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 LYD 1.40

$0.17 LYD 1.10

29.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.33 LYD 14.83

$0.76 LYD 4.83

206.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.54

$0.68 LYD 4.31

4.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 LYD 4.27

$0.70 LYD 4.47

-4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 LYD 17.80

$1.85 LYD 11.76

50.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 LYD 5.96

$0.91 LYD 5.78

3.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.20 LYD 58.6

$46.79 LYD 298

-80.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 LYD 5.77

$0.90 LYD 5.74

1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 LYD 9.43

$0.89 LYD 5.66

66.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 LYD 24.88

$2.77 LYD 17.62

41.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.21

$0.03 LYD 0.18

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

$16.4K LYD 104.8K

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

20.15%

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

$14.8K LYD 94.1K

$16.4K LYD 104.7K

-10.08%

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

$14.44 LYD 92.0

$32.61 LYD 208

-55.72%

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

$7.16 LYD 45.60

$6.29 LYD 40.07

13.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.89 LYD 216

$14.17 LYD 90.2

139.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.05 LYD 121

$20.19 LYD 129

-5.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.56 LYD 67.3

$4.68 LYD 29.82

125.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 LYD 29.98

$4.50 LYD 28.69

4.67%

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

$60.0 LYD 382

$52.3 LYD 333

14.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$869 LYD 5,534

$908 LYD 5,786

-4.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.57 LYD 176

$21.44 LYD 137

28.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 LYD 185

$34.92 LYD 222

-17.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.49 LYD 309

$32.12 LYD 205

50.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.3 LYD 403

$36.80 LYD 234

72.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 LYD 1,238

$106 LYD 674

83.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 LYD 731

$69.9 LYD 445

64.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 LYD 2,409

$199 LYD 1,268

89.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 LYD 1,472

$136 LYD 864

70.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$467 LYD 2,975

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.16 LYD 243

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 LYD 1,675

$253 LYD 1,613

3.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

42.86%

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

Last update for Benghazi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zawiya: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Benghazi versus $106 in Zawiya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Benghazi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Benghazi versus $18.00 in Zawiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $115 – making Benghazi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Benghazi vs Zawiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $439 in Benghazi, $422 in Zawiya – roughly 4% apart. Benghazi costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $659 per month in Benghazi and $632 in Zawiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zawiya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Benghazi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Benghazi and $18.00 in Zawiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $439 in Benghazi and $422 in Zawiya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Zawiya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Zawiya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Benghazi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.