Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Benghazi Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Benghazi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $421 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $424 in Benghazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $702 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $722 in Benghazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $982 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $1,021 in Benghazi, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) is about 1% cheaper than Benghazi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chennai (Madras) and Benghazi are more affordable than the global median – Chennai (Madras) 69% lower, Benghazi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 ₹195

$2.42 LYD 15.31

-14.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.66 ₹1,196

$12.52 LYD 79.3

1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 ₹404

$2.37 LYD 15.01

80.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 LYD 13.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LYD 2.57

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₹168

$0.64 LYD 4.07

178.13%

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

$0.35 ₹32.94

$0.44 LYD 2.77

-20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.39

$0.13 LYD 0.83

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₹150

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₹283

Milk (1 liter)

$0.57 ₹54.2

$0.82 LYD 5.22

-30.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.37

$0.19 LYD 1.20

163.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.1

$1.35 LYD 8.54

-48.89%

Eggs

$0.83 ₹78.4

$1.66 LYD 10.49

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 ₹582

$6.33 LYD 40.11

-2.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ₹312

$2.74 LYD 17.34

20.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.59 LYD 73.4

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ₹272

$2.27 LYD 14.39

26.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.6

$1.73 LYD 10.94

-53.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 ₹130

$1.15 LYD 7.26

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.24

$0.75 LYD 4.77

-36.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.30

$0.86 LYD 5.47

-45.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.01

$0.65 LYD 4.13

-41.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.37

$0.34 LYD 2.17

41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.45

$0.23 LYD 1.46

21.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.39 LYD 15.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LYD 3.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 LYD 5.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 ₹488

$1.91 LYD 12.08

170.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 ₹579

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₹167

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₹264

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.45 ₹609

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₹31.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.46 ₹988

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹97.0

$1.60 LYD 10.11

-35.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.58

$0.30 LYD 1.88

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₹202

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹104

$0.02 LYD 0.11

5400.00%

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

$15.4K ₹1.5M

$12.8K LYD 81.1K

20.32%

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

$20.6K ₹1.9M

$14.9K LYD 94.6K

37.62%

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

$38.32 ₹3,620

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

$3.98 ₹376

$4.55 LYD 28.83

-12.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.18 ₹773

$19.14 LYD 121

-57.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.96 ₹1,413

$17.52 LYD 111

-14.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.94 ₹656

$3.96 LYD 25.07

75.25%

Cinema Ticket

$2.64 ₹249

$6.42 LYD 40.66

-58.88%

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

$94.6 ₹8,942

$77.3 LYD 489

22.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,126 ₹200.9K

$358 LYD 2,269

493.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.99 ₹1,983

$42.91 LYD 272

-51.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.67 ₹1,575

$34.87 LYD 221

-52.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.34 ₹3,339

$44.06 LYD 279

-19.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.73 ₹2,903

$68.2 LYD 432

-54.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 ₹17.5K

$192 LYD 1,213

-3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 ₹9,817

$120 LYD 760

-13.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ₹47.0K

$429 LYD 2,718

15.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ₹29.4K

$259 LYD 1,640

19.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,997 ₹188.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$797 ₹75.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$681 ₹64.4K

$267 LYD 1,692

154.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.88

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): August 30, 2026

Last update for Benghazi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $186 in Chennai (Madras) versus $192 in Benghazi. 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 155% higher in Chennai (Madras), which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Chennai (Madras) versus $13.00 in Benghazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $113 vs $128 – making Chennai (Madras) 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

Chennai (Madras) vs Benghazi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $421 in Chennai (Madras), $424 in Benghazi – roughly 1% apart. Benghazi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $632 per month in Chennai (Madras) and $636 in Benghazi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $421 in Chennai (Madras) and $424 in Benghazi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $94.6 per month in Chennai (Madras) and $77.3 in Benghazi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $421 in Chennai (Madras) and $424 in Benghazi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chennai (Madras) has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $421 in Chennai (Madras) to $424 in Benghazi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chennai (Madras). 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.