Cost of Living Comparison Between Byblos and Zouk Mikael Cost of Living Comparison Between Byblos and Zouk Mikael

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,005 in Byblos versus $1,079 in Zouk Mikael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in Byblos versus $1,677 in Zouk Mikael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,223 in Byblos versus $2,275 in Zouk Mikael.

Living in Byblos costs roughly 7% less than in Zouk Mikael, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Byblos 25% lower, Zouk Mikael 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 LBP 705.7K

$10.73 LBP 960.0K

-26.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.19 LBP 3.8M

$59.8 LBP 5.3M

-29.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 LBP 710.1K

$7.77 LBP 695.5K

2.06%

Cappuccino

$2.91 LBP 260.6K

$3.41 LBP 305.2K

-14.66%

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

$0.98 LBP 87.5K

$1.58 LBP 141.1K

-37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

$0.86 LBP 77.1K

17.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 LBP 317.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 LBP 436.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 LBP 107.2K

$1.70 LBP 152.6K

-29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 LBP 55.8K

$0.30 LBP 26.8K

106.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 LBP 139.6K

$1.80 LBP 161.5K

-13.33%

Eggs

$2.08 LBP 186.4K

$3.08 LBP 275.6K

-32.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 LBP 804.0K

$4.86 LBP 434.8K

84.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 LBP 722.6K

$9.53 LBP 853.3K

-15.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 LBP 1.1M

$11.47 LBP 1.0M

5.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 LBP 272.6K

$1.81 LBP 162.4K

68.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 LBP 184.3K

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

42.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

$1.11 LBP 99.3K

-11.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 LBP 177.6K

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

90.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

$0.38 LBP 34.2K

160.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 LBP 91.5K

$1.03 LBP 92.3K

-0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 LBP 91.1K

$0.82 LBP 73.3K

24.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 LBP 91.0K

$0.55 LBP 49.5K

85.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 LBP 226.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 LBP 355.3K

$9.89 LBP 885.1K

-59.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 LBP 134.1K

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

72.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

-10.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 LBP 91.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 LBP 438.3K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 LBP 110.0K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.09 LBP 1.8M

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 LBP 85.6K

$0.89 LBP 79.7K

7.87%

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

$22.2K LBP 2.0B

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-36.27%

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

$22.8K LBP 2.0B

$27.3K LBP 2.4B

-16.48%

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

$102 LBP 9.1M

$173 LBP 15.5M

-41.16%

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

$22.14 LBP 2.0M

$38.23 LBP 3.4M

-42.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.21 LBP 2.3M

$37.12 LBP 3.3M

-32.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.89 LBP 3.4M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 LBP 1.7M

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 LBP 886.0K

$8.17 LBP 731.3K

21.18%

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

$393 LBP 35.2M

$297 LBP 26.6M

32.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,036 LBP 271.7M

$4,449 LBP 398.2M

-31.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 LBP 9.0M

$70.1 LBP 6.3M

42.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$98.3 LBP 8.8M

$44.14 LBP 4.0M

122.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.8M

$73.7 LBP 6.6M

63.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 LBP 13.6M

$95.8 LBP 8.6M

58.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 LBP 26.7M

$499 LBP 44.7M

-40.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 LBP 20.3M

$298 LBP 26.6M

-23.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 LBP 71.9M

$1,003 LBP 89.8M

-19.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 LBP 35.4M

$502 LBP 44.9M

-21.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,346 LBP 120.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$826 LBP 73.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$988 LBP 88.4M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

88.24%

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

Last update for Byblos: July 25, 2026

Last update for Zouk Mikael: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $298 in Byblos and $499 in Zouk Mikael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Byblos vs $60.0 in Zouk Mikael. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $205, 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

Byblos vs Zouk Mikael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Byblos is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,507 in Byblos and $1,619 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: $298 in Byblos versus $499 in Zouk Mikael. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $393 in Byblos versus $297 in Zouk Mikael. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Byblos – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $60.0 in Zouk Mikael. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,005 in Byblos versus $1,079 in Zouk Mikael, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Byblos but tight or insufficient in Zouk Mikael. The gap between the two cities makes Byblos 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 Byblos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Zouk Mikael. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.