Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Libya and Egypt

For one person, living is cheaper in Egypt: $483 a month against $537 in Libya, rent and utilities included – about $650 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Libya outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

🇱🇾 Libya
$537
/mo nomad
🇪🇬 Egypt
$483
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Libya and in Egypt

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $537 in Libya versus $483 in Egypt.

  • Libya $537
  • Egypt $483

Estimated couple costs with rent: $804 in Libya versus $785 in Egypt.

  • Libya $804
  • Egypt $785

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,072 in Libya versus $1,088 in Egypt.

  • Libya $1,072
  • Egypt $1,088

Living in Libya is roughly 11% more expensive than in Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Libya 60% lower, Egypt 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Libya
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.02 LYD 19.34
$3.69 E£197
-18.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.67 LYD 81.2
$18.73 E£1,000
-32.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.68 LYD 17.14
$4.72 E£252
-43.22%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.55 LYD 3.54
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 LYD 4.15
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.57 LYD 3.62
$1.53 E£81.5
-62.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 LYD 2.83
$0.35 E£18.95
25.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.11 LYD 0.70
$0.14 E£7.69
-21.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.46 E£78.0
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.88 E£154
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Libya
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.87 LYD 5.58
$0.85 E£45.14
2.35%
White Bread (500g)
$0.24 LYD 1.55
$0.72 E£38.42
-66.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.13 LYD 7.26
$0.65 E£34.58
73.85%
Eggs
$1.38 LYD 8.84
$1.26 E£67.3
9.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.22 LYD 33.48
$3.50 E£187
49.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.31 LYD 21.20
$4.26 E£228
-22.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.87 LYD 56.9
$8.73 E£466
1.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 LYD 14.26
$1.53 E£82.0
45.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 LYD 10.02
$0.68 E£36.11
129.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.85 LYD 5.42
$0.48 E£25.45
77.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.60 LYD 3.86
$0.41 E£21.92
46.34%
Potato (1kg)
$0.71 LYD 4.58
$0.35 E£18.89
102.86%
Onion (1kg)
$0.47 LYD 3.01
$0.38 E£20.24
23.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.39 LYD 2.47
$0.28 E£14.74
39.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.18 LYD 1.14
$0.20 E£10.61
-10.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.84 LYD 11.76
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 LYD 4.97
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 LYD 5.16
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.85 LYD 11.85
$1.95 E£104
-5.13%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$6.71 E£358
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.32 E£70.3
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.11 E£113
-
🚌 Getting Around
Libya
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.65 LYD 4.17
$0.27 E£14.27
140.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.42 LYD 246
$8.02 E£428
379.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.81 LYD 5.20
$0.39 E£21.07
107.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 LYD 2.90
$0.29 E£15.55
55.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.39 LYD 15.34
$1.93 E£103
23.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.02 LYD 0.13
$0.42 E£22.45
-95.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.5K LYD 150.5K
$32.5K E£1.7M
-27.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.2K LYD 110.2K
$26.3K E£1.4M
-34.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Libya
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 LYD 707
$21.49 E£1,148
413.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.12 LYD 32.81
$7.27 E£388
-29.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.25 LYD 130
$13.17 E£703
53.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Libya
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.25 LYD 117
$18.32 E£978
-0.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.12 LYD 32.78
$6.59 E£352
-22.31%
Cinema Ticket
$4.69 LYD 30.05
$3.04 E£162
54.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Libya
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$51.4 LYD 329
$102 E£5,448
-49.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$756 LYD 4,846
$2,562 E£136.8K
-70.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Libya
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.11 LYD 167
$26.81 E£1,431
-2.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.97 LYD 198
$43.03 E£2,298
-28.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$43.97 LYD 282
$113 E£6,020
-61.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.62 LYD 254
$50.1 E£2,676
-20.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Libya
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$241 LYD 1,541
$153 E£8,149
57.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$112 LYD 715
$97.2 E£5,193
14.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$432 LYD 2,765
$298 E£15.9K
44.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$209 LYD 1,339
$191 E£10.2K
9.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$300 LYD 1,920
$717 E£38.3K
-58.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$108 LYD 690
$439 E£23.5K
-75.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Libya
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$259 LYD 1,661
$146 E£7,821
76.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20
17.11
16.89%

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

Last update for Libya: October 12, 2026

Last update for Egypt: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Libya
$136
Egypt
$42 69.1% $94
Groceries & Markets
Libya
$114
Egypt
$127 11.3% $13
Accommodation & Living
Libya
$112
Egypt
$97 12.9% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Libya
$63
Egypt
$105 65.4% $41
Getting Around
Libya
$44
Egypt
$11 75.2% $33
Eating Out
Libya
$41
Egypt
$77 87.2% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Libya
$28
Egypt
$24 11.7% $3.2

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $22.00 in Libya, $140 in Egypt. Capital cities: $362 in Tripoli vs $222 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $254 in Libya, $138 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 536% higher in Egypt.

Dining out costs 240% more in Egypt.

Public transport is 50% more expensive in Egypt.

Salaries are 84% higher in Libya, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Libya.

Good to know
🇱🇾 Libya
🇪🇬 Egypt
🕒 Local time
15:31 3:31 PM
16:31 4:31 PM
1 h ahead of Libya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,678,567
114,535,772
💱 Currency
Libyan Dinar LYD ل.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD, EUR to LYD – Libyan Dinar Converter

Libyan Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.41 LYD (1 LYD = 0.156 USD). 1 EUR = 7.2 LYD (1 LYD = 0.139 EUR).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Libya Egypt 1,740 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Libya
  • Egypt

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
Libya vs Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Libya?
At $483 per month in Egypt and $537 in Libya, there's a 11% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Does the cost gap hold in every spending category?
Overall, Egypt is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Egypt or in Libya?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Libya 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 Egypt or to Libya?
It depends on what you're after: Egypt wins on affordability; Libya may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Libya vs other spots: cost of living compared

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