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: $998 in Byblos versus $1,111 in Zouk Mikael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,589 in Byblos versus $1,684 in Zouk Mikael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,180 in Byblos versus $2,257 in Zouk Mikael.

Living in Byblos costs roughly 10% less than in Zouk Mikael, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Byblos 25% lower, Zouk Mikael 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.10 LBP 724.9K

$10.61 LBP 949.6K

-23.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.76 LBP 3.7M

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

-29.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 LBP 733.4K

$7.92 LBP 709.0K

3.41%

Cappuccino

$2.94 LBP 263.3K

$3.26 LBP 292.1K

-9.82%

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

$0.98 LBP 87.4K

$1.62 LBP 145.1K

-39.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

5.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 LBP 315.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 LBP 439.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 LBP 111.5K

$1.80 LBP 160.8K

-30.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 LBP 58.5K

$0.32 LBP 29.0K

103.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 LBP 143.6K

$1.76 LBP 157.2K

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.04 LBP 182.7K

$3.08 LBP 275.7K

-33.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 LBP 821.9K

$5.05 LBP 452.1K

81.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 LBP 732.4K

$9.32 LBP 834.4K

-12.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.17 LBP 1.1M

$11.54 LBP 1.0M

5.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 LBP 273.7K

$1.74 LBP 155.4K

75.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 LBP 182.6K

$1.47 LBP 131.7K

38.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 LBP 91.9K

$1.09 LBP 97.3K

-5.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 LBP 180.7K

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

85.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

$0.38 LBP 34.2K

155.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$1.00 LBP 89.6K

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

14.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 LBP 87.8K

$0.56 LBP 49.7K

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 230.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$4.09 LBP 365.6K

$11.21 LBP 1.0M

-63.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 LBP 134.0K

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

74.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 LBP 177.3K

$2.15 LBP 192.3K

-7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 LBP 91.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 LBP 457.6K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 LBP 113.8K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.39 LBP 1.8M

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 LBP 82.2K

$0.95 LBP 84.7K

-3.16%

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

$22.2K LBP 2.0B

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-35.87%

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

$22.7K LBP 2.0B

$28.3K LBP 2.5B

-19.97%

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

$101 LBP 9.0M

$171 LBP 15.3M

-40.92%

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

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

$38.26 LBP 3.4M

-41.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.83 LBP 2.2M

$37.35 LBP 3.3M

-33.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.59 LBP 3.4M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 LBP 1.7M

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 LBP 888.4K

$8.02 LBP 717.9K

23.82%

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

$403 LBP 36.1M

$303 LBP 27.1M

32.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,964 LBP 265.3M

$4,506 LBP 403.3M

-34.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.3 LBP 8.8M

$71.5 LBP 6.4M

37.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$101 LBP 9.1M

$45.55 LBP 4.1M

122.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 LBP 10.7M

$76.1 LBP 6.8M

56.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 LBP 13.7M

$93.1 LBP 8.3M

64.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 LBP 26.4M

$497 LBP 44.5M

-40.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 LBP 20.4M

$302 LBP 27.1M

-24.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 LBP 71.2M

$994 LBP 88.9M

-19.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 LBP 36.5M

$506 LBP 45.3M

-19.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,326 LBP 118.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$855 LBP 76.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$998 LBP 89.4M

$496 LBP 44.4M

101.24%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Zouk Mikael: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $295 in Byblos and $497 in Zouk Mikael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 101% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Byblos vs $59.0 in Zouk Mikael. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $209, 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 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Byblos pays 101% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $295 in Byblos versus $497 in Zouk Mikael. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $403 in Byblos versus $303 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 $59.0 in Zouk Mikael. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $998 in Byblos versus $1,111 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 11% less than in Zouk Mikael. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.