Cost of Living Comparison Between Sidon and Beirut Cost of Living Comparison Between Sidon and Beirut

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,023 in Sidon versus $1,437 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,745 in Sidon versus $2,353 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,468 in Sidon versus $3,269 in Beirut.

Living in Sidon costs roughly 29% less than in Beirut, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sidon is 24% below, Beirut is 7% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sidon
Beirut
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.96 LBPΒ 980.9K
$10.76 LBPΒ 963.0K
1.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.6 LBPΒ 5.4M
$59.7 LBPΒ 5.3M
1.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.09 LBPΒ 723.9K
$8.04 LBPΒ 720.0K
0.62%
Cappuccino
$3.28 LBPΒ 293.3K
$3.27 LBPΒ 292.4K
0.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 LBPΒ 148.2K
$1.58 LBPΒ 141.4K
5.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 LBPΒ 84.5K
$0.92 LBPΒ 82.4K
2.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.57 LBPΒ 319.5K
$3.45 LBPΒ 308.9K
3.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13 LBPΒ 459.0K
$5.06 LBPΒ 453.3K
1.38%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Sidon
Beirut
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 LBPΒ 160.0K
$1.79 LBPΒ 160.5K
-
White Bread (500g)
$0.81 LBPΒ 72.1K
$0.85 LBPΒ 76.5K
-4.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 LBPΒ 164.5K
$1.82 LBPΒ 163.3K
1.10%
Eggs
$3.19 LBPΒ 285.9K
$3.19 LBPΒ 285.4K
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.11 LBPΒ 994.0K
$11.51 LBPΒ 1.0M
-3.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.57 LBPΒ 856.3K
$9.60 LBPΒ 859.6K
-0.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.28 LBPΒ 1.0M
$11.36 LBPΒ 1.0M
-0.70%
Apples (1kg)
$1.74 LBPΒ 155.9K
$1.73 LBPΒ 154.6K
0.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 LBPΒ 136.8K
$1.45 LBPΒ 129.4K
5.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.14 LBPΒ 101.7K
$1.15 LBPΒ 103.0K
-0.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.06 LBPΒ 94.5K
$1.08 LBPΒ 96.9K
-1.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.01 LBPΒ 90.6K
$0.99 LBPΒ 88.2K
2.02%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 LBPΒ 88.9K
$1.04 LBPΒ 92.8K
-4.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 LBPΒ 79.4K
$0.81 LBPΒ 72.8K
9.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 LBPΒ 50.7K
$0.52 LBPΒ 46.7K
9.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.46 LBPΒ 220.0K
$2.46 LBPΒ 220.6K
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.97 LBPΒ 892.2K
$9.95 LBPΒ 890.6K
0.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 LBPΒ 110.5K
$1.24 LBPΒ 110.6K
-0.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 LBPΒ 196.8K
$2.20 LBPΒ 197.3K
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sidon
Beirut
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.02 LBPΒ 180.9K
$1.96 LBPΒ 175.4K
3.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$71.1 LBPΒ 6.4M
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.05 LBPΒ 451.6K
$4.94 LBPΒ 442.2K
2.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.24 LBPΒ 110.7K
$1.28 LBPΒ 114.5K
-3.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.16 LBPΒ 1.8M
$19.91 LBPΒ 1.8M
1.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.96 LBPΒ 86.1K
$0.90 LBPΒ 80.9K
6.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.6K LBPΒ 3.1B
$34.8K LBPΒ 3.1B
-0.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.8K LBPΒ 2.5B
$27.6K LBPΒ 2.5B
0.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sidon
Beirut
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 LBPΒ 19.2M
$218 LBPΒ 19.5M
-1.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.11 LBPΒ 3.3M
$37.46 LBPΒ 3.4M
-0.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.07 LBPΒ 3.3M
$37.30 LBPΒ 3.3M
-0.62%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Sidon
Beirut
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.44 LBPΒ 2.9M
$68.4 LBPΒ 6.1M
-52.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.81 LBPΒ 878.0K
$29.84 LBPΒ 2.7M
-67.12%
Cinema Ticket
$6.13 LBPΒ 548.9K
$8.13 LBPΒ 727.3K
-24.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sidon
Beirut
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$300 LBPΒ 26.9M
$297 LBPΒ 26.6M
1.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,393 LBPΒ 393.2M
$4,404 LBPΒ 394.1M
-0.23%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Sidon
Beirut
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.7 LBPΒ 6.4M
$71.6 LBPΒ 6.4M
0.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.31 LBPΒ 4.0M
$44.80 LBPΒ 4.0M
-1.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 LBPΒ 10.9M
$120 LBPΒ 10.8M
1.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.5 LBPΒ 8.5M
$95.5 LBPΒ 8.6M
-1.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sidon
Beirut
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$246 LBPΒ 22.0M
$809 LBPΒ 72.4M
-69.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$98.1 LBPΒ 8.8M
$370 LBPΒ 33.1M
-73.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$598 LBPΒ 53.6M
$2,023 LBPΒ 181.0M
-70.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$397 LBPΒ 35.5M
$950 LBPΒ 85.0M
-58.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,019 LBPΒ 91.2M
$3,685 LBPΒ 329.8M
-72.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$866 LBPΒ 77.5M
$1,978 LBPΒ 177.1M
-56.22%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Sidon
Beirut
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$651 LBPΒ 58.2M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.16
11.16
-

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

Last update for Sidon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Beirut: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Sidon and $809 in Beirut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Sidon vs $60.0 in Beirut. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $236, with Sidon 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
Sidon vs Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beirut cheaper than Sidon?
Sidon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,534 in Sidon and $2,155 in Beirut to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Sidon and Beirut?
Rent for a central apartment: $246 in Sidon versus $809 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Sidon and Beirut?
Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Beirut. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Sidon vs Beirut?
All in, you'll spend $1,023 per month in Sidon versus $1,437 in Beirut – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Sidon or Beirut?
At $1,023 in Sidon versus $1,437 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sidon but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Sidon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Sidon or Beirut?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sidon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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