Cost of Living Comparison Between Byblos and Zahlah Cost of Living Comparison Between Byblos and Zahlah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $992 in Byblos versus $986 in Zahlah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,626 in Byblos versus $1,607 in Zahlah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,261 in Byblos versus $2,227 in Zahlah.

Living in Byblos is roughly 1% more expensive than in Zahlah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Byblos 28% lower, Zahlah 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.24 LBP 827.3K

$12.07 LBP 1.1M

-23.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.14 LBP 3.9M

$63.6 LBP 5.7M

-32.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 LBP 631.7K

$9.87 LBP 883.7K

-28.47%

Cappuccino

$3.08 LBP 275.2K

$4.70 LBP 420.5K

-34.47%

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

$0.97 LBP 87.0K

$2.27 LBP 203.4K

-57.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 LBP 87.7K

$0.83 LBP 74.2K

18.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 LBP 448.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 LBP 459.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 LBP 112.3K

$1.93 LBP 172.7K

-34.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 LBP 54.6K

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

-29.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 LBP 139.1K

$2.12 LBP 189.3K

-26.89%

Eggs

$2.16 LBP 193.0K

$3.53 LBP 315.8K

-38.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 LBP 785.9K

$13.26 LBP 1.2M

-33.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 LBP 741.7K

$10.47 LBP 937.3K

-20.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.77 LBP 1.1M

$14.33 LBP 1.3M

-17.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 LBP 265.4K

$2.98 LBP 266.9K

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 LBP 181.7K

$1.71 LBP 152.7K

18.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.4K

$1.69 LBP 151.7K

-41.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 LBP 176.8K

$1.52 LBP 136.0K

30.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$1.42 LBP 126.8K

-30.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.4K

$1.69 LBP 150.8K

-41.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

$1.16 LBP 103.9K

-14.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

$0.69 LBP 61.9K

42.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 LBP 276.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$3.94 LBP 352.2K

$10.10 LBP 903.7K

-60.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 LBP 139.8K

$1.34 LBP 119.7K

16.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 LBP 174.5K

$2.56 LBP 229.3K

-23.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 LBP 90.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 LBP 454.4K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 LBP 87.8K

$2.26 LBP 202.4K

-56.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.27 LBP 2.0M

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 81.0K

$1.00 LBP 89.4K

-10.00%

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

$22.8K LBP 2.0B

$53.7K LBP 4.8B

-57.44%

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

$22.6K LBP 2.0B

$32.6K LBP 2.9B

-30.79%

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

$101 LBP 9.0M

$232 LBP 20.8M

-56.52%

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

$22.88 LBP 2.0M

$23.16 LBP 2.1M

-1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.04 LBP 2.2M

$38.07 LBP 3.4M

-34.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.03 LBP 3.4M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.82 LBP 3.6M

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 LBP 902.2K

$9.91 LBP 887.0K

1.72%

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

$402 LBP 36.0M

$688 LBP 61.6M

-41.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,973 LBP 266.1M

$10.7K LBP 957.1M

-72.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 LBP 9.0M

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

47.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$99.8 LBP 8.9M

$48.59 LBP 4.3M

105.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.8M

$138 LBP 12.3M

-12.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 LBP 13.3M

$120 LBP 10.7M

24.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 LBP 26.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 LBP 20.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 LBP 72.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 LBP 35.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,340 LBP 119.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$849 LBP 76.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$991 LBP 88.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-27.27%

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

Last update for Byblos: September 13, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Byblos vs $64.0 in Zahlah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $278 per month, with Byblos cheaper across the board.

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

Byblos vs Zahlah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zahlah is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,487 in Byblos and $1,479 in Zahlah 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.

Childcare runs $402 in Byblos versus $688 in Zahlah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zahlah – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $43.00 in Byblos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $986 in Zahlah versus $992 in Byblos, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zahlah but tight or insufficient in Byblos. The gap between the two cities makes Zahlah 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.

Safety-wise, Byblos and Zahlah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zahlah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Byblos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.