Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Lebanon Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Lebanon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $944 in Lebanon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,621 in Italy versus $1,471 in Lebanon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,524 in Italy versus $1,997 in Lebanon.

Living in Italy is roughly 82% more expensive than in Lebanon on average.

Italy (29% above) and Lebanon (29% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Lebanon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 €15.38
$9.88 LBP 884.7K
77.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.5 €72.1
$50.4 LBP 4.5M
63.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.72 €10.25
$8.14 LBP 728.5K
43.98%
Cappuccino
$1.92 €1.68
$2.81 LBP 251.3K
-31.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.62
$1.54 LBP 137.6K
94.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.19
$0.88 LBP 78.5K
54.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.76 €5.04
$4.08 LBP 365.5K
41.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22 €4.57
$5.04 LBP 451.5K
3.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Lebanon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.48
$1.66 LBP 148.5K
1.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.04
$0.72 LBP 64.5K
223.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.05 €2.67
$1.60 LBP 142.8K
90.62%
Eggs
$3.99 €3.49
$2.85 LBP 255.3K
40.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.68 €14.59
$9.72 LBP 869.6K
71.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.57 €11.00
$8.59 LBP 769.2K
46.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.53 €17.96
$11.14 LBP 996.8K
84.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.24
$1.58 LBP 141.3K
62.03%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.93
$1.49 LBP 133.6K
47.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 €2.34
$1.05 LBP 93.7K
155.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.37 €2.95
$1.04 LBP 93.3K
224.04%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.78
$0.82 LBP 73.8K
148.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.65
$1.01 LBP 90.0K
86.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.29
$0.81 LBP 72.5K
81.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$0.62 LBP 55.4K
-12.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00 €6.12
$2.52 LBP 225.2K
177.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.09 €6.20
$9.97 LBP 892.1K
-28.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.58
$1.24 LBP 110.8K
45.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.19
$1.89 LBP 169.3K
32.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Lebanon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 €1.71
$2.04 LBP 182.6K
-3.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.58 €36.38
$68.8 LBP 6.2M
-39.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.80 €5.08
$4.98 LBP 445.5K
16.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 €1.40
$1.46 LBP 130.4K
9.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.07 €30.68
$25.42 LBP 2.3M
37.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.86
$0.94 LBP 84.2K
126.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K €28.5K
$30.4K LBP 2.7B
7.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K €29.6K
$25.0K LBP 2.2B
35.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Lebanon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €197
$176 LBP 15.8M
27.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.14 €11.50
$34.39 LBP 3.1M
-61.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.19 €27.29
$37.24 LBP 3.3M
-16.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Lebanon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 €50.0
$50.1 LBP 4.5M
14.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.85 €22.61
$24.13 LBP 2.2M
7.13%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 €9.05
$8.08 LBP 722.8K
27.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Lebanon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$564 €493
$283 LBP 25.3M
99.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K €9,047
$3,784 LBP 338.7M
173.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Lebanon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9 €80.4
$58.6 LBP 5.2M
56.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.54 €35.47
$52.3 LBP 4.7M
-22.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.2 €85.9
$108 LBP 9.6M
-8.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €116
$92.5 LBP 8.3M
42.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Lebanon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$855 €748
$559 LBP 50.1M
52.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 €580
$300 LBP 26.9M
120.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,522 €1,332
$1,291 LBP 115.5M
17.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 €953
$654 LBP 58.6M
66.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,747 €3,278
$2,952 LBP 264.2M
26.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,299 €2,011
$1,592 LBP 142.5M
44.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Lebanon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,897 €1,659
$710 LBP 63.5M
167.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
10.94
-59.69%

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

Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lebanon: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $171 in Lebanon. Capital cities: $1,328 in Rome vs $789 in Beirut.

National salary averages: $1,912 in Italy, $689 in Lebanon. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 334% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 48% more in Italy.

Public transport is 214% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 178% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

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
Italy vs Lebanon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Lebanon?
At $1,822 per month in Italy and $722 in Lebanon, there's a 152% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Lebanon: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in Lebanon across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Italy or in Lebanon?
In Lebanon, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to Lebanon?
It depends on what you're after: Lebanon wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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