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 $484 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $442 in Benghazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $754 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $708 in Benghazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,024 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $973 in Benghazi, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) costs about 9% more than Benghazi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chennai (Madras) and Benghazi are more affordable than the global median – Chennai (Madras) 64% lower, Benghazi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.23 ₹212

$2.78 LYD 17.64

-19.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.73 ₹1,118

$14.40 LYD 91.5

-18.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 ₹377

$2.79 LYD 17.69

41.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 LYD 2.28

Cappuccino

$2.11 ₹201

$0.64 LYD 4.07

229.69%

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

$0.49 ₹46.89

$0.44 LYD 2.76

11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.28

$0.13 LYD 0.80

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 ₹198

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹398

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ₹59.8

$0.90 LYD 5.73

-30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.15

$0.23 LYD 1.46

117.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.1

$0.65 LYD 4.15

18.46%

Eggs

$0.87 ₹83.1

$1.32 LYD 8.37

-34.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 ₹666

$6.06 LYD 38.45

15.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 ₹329

$3.60 LYD 22.86

-4.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 LYD 54.1

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ₹280

$1.42 LYD 8.99

107.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹77.8

$1.14 LYD 7.23

-28.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 ₹127

$0.67 LYD 4.25

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹42.73

$0.50 LYD 3.16

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.1

$0.52 LYD 3.31

5.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.2

$0.48 LYD 3.05

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₹52.0

$0.29 LYD 1.86

89.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.27

$0.22 LYD 1.40

50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.43 LYD 15.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LYD 4.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ₹381

$2.69 LYD 17.08

48.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 ₹731

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₹182

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₹333

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

$6.12 ₹583

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₹32.11

$0.95 LYD 6.03

-64.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.49 ₹1,095

$9.39 LYD 59.6

22.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ₹146

$0.89 LYD 5.66

71.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.64

$1.56 LYD 9.88

-80.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ₹168

$3.96 LYD 25.12

-55.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₹110

$0.03 LYD 0.21

3766.67%

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

$17.2K ₹1.6M

$16.8K LYD 106.4K

2.75%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$15.1K LYD 95.8K

62.34%

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

$47.37 ₹4,512

$13.99 LYD 88.8

238.60%

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

$4.73 ₹451

$7.16 LYD 45.45

-33.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.77 ₹931

$34.02 LYD 216

-71.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.53 ₹1,669

$18.88 LYD 120

-7.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.26 ₹691

$10.24 LYD 65.0

-29.10%

Cinema Ticket

$2.84 ₹271

$4.54 LYD 28.85

-37.44%

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

$80.3 ₹7,650

$62.1 LYD 394

29.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,756 ₹167.3K

$866 LYD 5,500

102.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.19 ₹2,399

$28.08 LYD 178

-10.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.56 ₹2,244

$29.11 LYD 185

-19.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.44 ₹4,709

$48.53 LYD 308

1.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.35 ₹3,367

$62.6 LYD 397

-43.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 ₹18.1K

$189 LYD 1,200

0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 ₹11.1K

$115 LYD 731

1.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ₹41.4K

$369 LYD 2,343

17.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₹25.0K

$231 LYD 1,466

13.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,736 ₹165.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$724 ₹69.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 ₹68.4K

$271 LYD 1,720

165.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.42

-62.32%

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): June 1, 2026

Last update for Benghazi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $190 in Chennai (Madras) versus $189 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 165% higher in Chennai (Madras), 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 $12.00 in Chennai (Madras) versus $14.00 in Benghazi. Groceries tell a different story – $124 in Chennai (Madras) vs $106 in Benghazi – so Benghazi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $484 in Chennai (Madras), $442 in Benghazi – roughly 9% apart. Chennai (Madras) costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $726 per month in Chennai (Madras) and $664 in Benghazi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chennai (Madras), though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Chennai (Madras) and $14.00 in Benghazi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $484 in Chennai (Madras) and $442 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 $442 in Benghazi to $484 in Chennai (Madras). Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Benghazi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chennai (Madras) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.