Cost of Living Comparison Between Santander and Beirut Cost of Living Comparison Between Santander and Beirut

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,585 in Santander versus $1,414 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,473 in Santander versus $2,339 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Santander versus $3,265 in Beirut.

Living in Santander is roughly 12% more expensive than Beirut, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santander 18% above, Beirut 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 €12.95

$10.65 LBP 952.9K

41.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.51 €38.95

$60.7 LBP 5.4M

-24.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.78

$7.99 LBP 715.1K

42.93%

Cappuccino

$2.31 €1.98

$3.31 LBP 296.1K

-30.21%

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

$2.26 €1.93

$1.57 LBP 140.3K

43.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.67

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

124.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 €3.01

$3.40 LBP 304.2K

3.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 €3.29

$4.95 LBP 443.0K

-22.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.78 LBP 159.5K

-32.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 €1.20

$0.79 LBP 70.9K

77.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 €2.01

$1.75 LBP 157.0K

34.29%

Eggs

$3.03 €2.59

$3.21 LBP 287.7K

-5.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 €11.18

$11.16 LBP 998.8K

17.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.11 €6.09

$9.27 LBP 830.0K

-23.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 €11.95

$11.64 LBP 1.0M

19.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 €2.17

$1.80 LBP 161.4K

40.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 €1.92

$1.45 LBP 130.1K

55.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 €2.89

$1.10 LBP 98.8K

207.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 €2.67

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

186.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.02 LBP 91.1K

97.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 €2.28

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

159.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.82 LBP 73.5K

23.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.80

$0.52 LBP 46.8K

78.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 €5.80

$2.55 LBP 228.6K

165.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 €5.47

$11.22 LBP 1.0M

-42.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

21.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.77

$2.20 LBP 196.5K

-5.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 €1.27

$2.02 LBP 181.1K

-26.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.35 €29.41

$72.0 LBP 6.4M

-52.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 €3.40

$4.93 LBP 441.2K

-19.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.23 LBP 110.4K

1.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.23 €21.60

$19.90 LBP 1.8M

26.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 €1.47

$0.95 LBP 84.8K

81.05%

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

$38.3K €32.7K

$35.1K LBP 3.1B

8.90%

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

$30.7K €26.3K

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

9.74%

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

$184 €157

$218 LBP 19.5M

-15.47%

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

$23.07 €19.75

$37.60 LBP 3.4M

-38.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.70 €30.56

$37.77 LBP 3.4M

-5.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.61 €39.04

$68.2 LBP 6.1M

-33.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.62 €16.79

$28.88 LBP 2.6M

-32.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.36 €8.02

$8.15 LBP 729.0K

14.85%

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

$454 €389

$307 LBP 27.5M

48.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,097 €7,787

$4,498 LBP 402.6M

102.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €98.4

$70.3 LBP 6.3M

63.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.15 €30.94

$45.04 LBP 4.0M

-19.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 €76.2

$121 LBP 10.8M

-26.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €98.9

$94.6 LBP 8.5M

22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 €741

$785 LBP 70.2M

10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 €463

$364 LBP 32.5M

48.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 €1,474

$1,963 LBP 175.7M

-12.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 €1,021

$959 LBP 85.8M

24.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,355 €2,872

$3,810 LBP 341.0M

-11.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 €2,360

$1,859 LBP 166.3M

48.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,966 €1,683

$634 LBP 56.7M

210.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.16

-68.64%

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

Last update for Santander: April 25, 2026

Last update for Beirut: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $866 in Santander and $785 in Beirut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santander pays 210% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Santander vs $61.0 in Beirut. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $236, with Beirut cheaper for home cooking.

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

Santander vs Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beirut is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Santander pays 210% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $866 in Santander versus $785 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,585 per month in Santander versus $1,414 in Beirut – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Beirut runs roughly 110% less than in Santander. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,414 in Beirut versus $1,585 in Santander, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beirut but tight or insufficient in Santander. The gap between the two cities makes Beirut the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Santander and Beirut are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Beirut gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Santander. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.