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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $442 per month in Benghazi vs $410 in Zawiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $708 per month in Benghazi vs $688 in Zawiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $973 per month in Benghazi vs $965 in Zawiya, rent included.

Benghazi costs about 8% more than Zawiya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Benghazi and Zawiya are more affordable than the global median – Benghazi 67% lower, Zawiya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 LYD 17.66

$2.80 LYD 17.78

-0.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.40 LYD 91.6

$18.48 LYD 118

-22.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.79 LYD 17.71

$3.63 LYD 23.10

-23.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

$0.57 LYD 3.61

-1.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 LYD 2.29

$0.68 LYD 4.30

-47.06%

Cappuccino

$0.64 LYD 4.07

$0.49 LYD 3.10

30.61%

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

$0.44 LYD 2.77

$0.49 LYD 3.12

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 LYD 0.80

$0.12 LYD 0.75

8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 LYD 5.74

$1.03 LYD 6.55

-12.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$0.23 LYD 1.46

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 LYD 4.16

$1.24 LYD 7.86

-47.58%

Eggs

$1.32 LYD 8.39

$1.23 LYD 7.85

7.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 LYD 38.51

$5.02 LYD 31.94

20.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 LYD 22.89

$3.27 LYD 20.81

10.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 LYD 54.2

$10.09 LYD 64.2

-15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 LYD 9.01

$2.06 LYD 13.11

-31.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 LYD 7.24

$1.27 LYD 8.09

-10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 LYD 4.26

$0.83 LYD 5.25

-19.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 LYD 3.17

$0.55 LYD 3.52

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.32

$0.58 LYD 3.66

-10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 LYD 3.06

$0.31 LYD 1.97

54.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 LYD 1.86

$0.38 LYD 2.43

-23.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 LYD 1.40

$0.17 LYD 1.07

29.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.43 LYD 15.44

$0.75 LYD 4.78

224.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LYD 4.40

$0.70 LYD 4.46

-1.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.44

$0.64 LYD 4.07

9.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 LYD 17.11

$1.84 LYD 11.73

46.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 LYD 6.04

$0.93 LYD 5.92

2.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.39 LYD 59.7

$46.59 LYD 296

-79.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LYD 5.67

$0.96 LYD 6.11

-7.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 LYD 9.89

$0.89 LYD 5.67

75.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 LYD 25.15

$2.74 LYD 17.42

44.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.21

$0.03 LYD 0.18

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

$16.8K LYD 106.6K

$13.7K LYD 87.4K

21.90%

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

$15.1K LYD 95.9K

$16.2K LYD 103.1K

-6.93%

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

$13.99 LYD 89.0

$32.55 LYD 207

-57.02%

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

$7.16 LYD 45.52

$6.52 LYD 41.44

9.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.02 LYD 216

$14.02 LYD 89.2

142.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.88 LYD 120

$20.08 LYD 128

-5.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.24 LYD 65.1

$4.48 LYD 28.49

128.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 LYD 28.90

$4.55 LYD 28.93

-0.22%

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

$62.1 LYD 395

$53.1 LYD 337

17.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$866 LYD 5,508

$908 LYD 5,772

-4.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.08 LYD 179

$21.60 LYD 137

30.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 LYD 185

$34.94 LYD 222

-16.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.53 LYD 309

$31.97 LYD 203

51.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.6 LYD 398

$36.00 LYD 229

73.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 LYD 1,201

$107 LYD 679

76.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 LYD 732

$69.1 LYD 440

66.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 LYD 2,347

$201 LYD 1,280

83.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 LYD 1,469

$136 LYD 863

70.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$470 LYD 2,988

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.66 LYD 246

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$271 LYD 1,722

$260 LYD 1,653

4.22%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zawiya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $189 in Benghazi versus $107 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 $14.00 in Benghazi versus $18.00 in Zawiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $106 vs $114 – 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: $442 in Benghazi, $410 in Zawiya – roughly 8% apart. Benghazi costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $664 per month in Benghazi and $615 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 $14.00 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 $442 in Benghazi and $410 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.