Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Derna and Zawiya

For one person, living is cheaper in Derna: $173 a month against $441 in Zawiya, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Zawiya
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Zawiya Living Index

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Derna

🇱🇾 Libya

$173

/mo nomad

Zawiya

🇱🇾 Libya

$441

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Derna and in Zawiya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Derna and in Zawiya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $173 per month in Derna vs $441 in Zawiya, rent included.

Derna $173
Zawiya $441

A couple spends around $335 per month in Derna vs $686 in Zawiya, rent included.

Derna $335
Zawiya $686

A family of three spends $497 per month in Derna vs $930 in Zawiya, rent included.

Derna $497
Zawiya $930

Derna is about 61% cheaper than Zawiya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Derna and Zawiya are more affordable than the global median – Derna 87% lower, Zawiya 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 LYD 24.31

$2.30 LYD 14.74

64.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.79 LYD 49.90

$15.47 LYD 99.2

-49.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 LYD 20.10

$2.71 LYD 17.39

15.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.46 LYD 2.93

$0.45 LYD 2.87

2.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 LYD 3.79

$0.65 LYD 4.14

-9.23%

Cappuccino

$0.49 LYD 3.13

$0.44 LYD 2.82

11.36%

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

$0.32 LYD 2.08

$0.44 LYD 2.84

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 LYD 0.71

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 LYD 4.65

$0.91 LYD 5.82

-19.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 LYD 1.28

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 LYD 15.27

$1.01 LYD 6.50

135.64%

Eggs

$0.90 LYD 5.75

$1.35 LYD 8.66

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.74 LYD 30.38

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 LYD 20.40

$3.57 LYD 22.88

-10.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 LYD 56.8

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 LYD 12.92

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 LYD 5.12

$1.47 LYD 9.44

-45.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 LYD 5.86

$0.70 LYD 4.49

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 LYD 3.27

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 LYD 3.72

Onion (1kg)

$0.26 LYD 1.64

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 LYD 1.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.16 LYD 1.05

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.79 LYD 5.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 LYD 4.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 LYD 10.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 LYD 4.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.22 LYD 251

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 LYD 4.75

$0.75 LYD 4.79

-1.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 LYD 2.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 LYD 14.80

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.02 LYD 0.12

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

$15.5K LYD 99.4K

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

$16.8K LYD 107.4K

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

$94.4 LYD 605

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

$5.57 LYD 35.69

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.96 LYD 89.5

$12.25 LYD 78.5

13.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.31 LYD 111

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.01 LYD 25.70

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 LYD 25.15

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

$51.5 LYD 330

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$897 LYD 5,749

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.77 LYD 204

$20.81 LYD 133

52.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.45 LYD 246

$44.19 LYD 283

-12.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.87 LYD 249

$30.99 LYD 199

25.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.67 LYD 248

$31.62 LYD 203

22.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 LYD 570

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.4 LYD 375

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 LYD 999

$164 LYD 1,049

-4.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.9 LYD 589

$121 LYD 772

-23.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$195 LYD 1,249

$347 LYD 2,227

-43.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$76.7 LYD 492

$98.1 LYD 629

-21.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 LYD 1,077

$251 LYD 1,609

-33.04%

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

Last update for Derna: October 27, 2026

Last update for Zawiya: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Derna

–

Zawiya

$112 25.4%

Groceries & Markets

Derna

–

Zawiya

$109 24.7%

Accommodation & Living

Derna

–

Zawiya

$58 13.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Derna

–

Zawiya

$57 13%

Getting Around

Derna

–

Zawiya

$45 10.2%

Eating Out

Derna

–

Zawiya

$34 7.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Derna

–

Zawiya

$25 5.7%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 49% higher in Zawiya, 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 $8 in Derna versus $15 in Zawiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $45 vs $109 – making Derna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇾 Derna

🇱🇾 Zawiya

🕒 Local time

00:55 12:55 AM

Same time as Derna

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

50,000

318,726

💱 Currency

Libyan Dinar LYD ل.د

📈 Exchange rate

1 LYD = 0.156 USD

1 LYD = 0.14 EUR

1 LYD = 0.156 USD

1 LYD = 0.14 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Derna Zawiya 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Derna
Zawiya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Derna vs Zawiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zawiya costs about 155% more than Derna, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $259 per month in Derna and $662 in Zawiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $173 in Derna and $441 in Zawiya. That makes Derna about 61% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 143% more in Zawiya, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $173 in Derna and $441 in Zawiya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

If budget matters most, go with Derna. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zawiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.