Cost of Living Comparison Between Tripoli and Benghazi Cost of Living Comparison Between Tripoli and Benghazi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $505 per month in Tripoli vs $439 in Benghazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $810 per month in Tripoli vs $706 in Benghazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,114 per month in Tripoli vs $973 in Benghazi, rent included.

Tripoli costs about 15% more than Benghazi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tripoli and Benghazi are more affordable than the global median – Tripoli 62% lower, Benghazi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 LYD 28.62

$2.69 LYD 17.15

66.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.69 LYD 119

$14.71 LYD 93.7

27.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 LYD 23.13

$2.71 LYD 17.28

33.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.22

$0.35 LYD 2.26

88.57%

Cappuccino

$0.48 LYD 3.07

$0.68 LYD 4.31

-29.41%

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

$0.45 LYD 2.89

$0.40 LYD 2.57

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.09 LYD 0.60

$0.15 LYD 0.96

-40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 LYD 6.58

$0.90 LYD 5.72

14.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.49

$0.66 LYD 4.17

78.79%

Eggs

$1.45 LYD 9.24

$1.32 LYD 8.41

9.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.81 LYD 30.63

$6.14 LYD 39.13

-21.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 LYD 21.27

$3.71 LYD 23.64

-9.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 LYD 66.5

$8.63 LYD 55.0

20.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 LYD 13.93

$1.42 LYD 9.05

54.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 LYD 8.55

$1.18 LYD 7.54

13.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 LYD 4.82

$0.68 LYD 4.34

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.29

$0.49 LYD 3.11

6.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 LYD 4.42

$0.49 LYD 3.09

40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

$0.44 LYD 2.83

20.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 LYD 2.47

$0.27 LYD 1.72

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 LYD 1.27

$0.22 LYD 1.40

-9.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.22 LYD 7.74

$2.33 LYD 14.83

-47.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.21

$0.71 LYD 4.54

-7.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.16

$0.67 LYD 4.27

-2.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 LYD 11.86

$2.79 LYD 17.80

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 LYD 1.71

$0.94 LYD 5.96

-71.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.56 LYD 137

$9.20 LYD 58.6

134.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LYD 6.04

$0.91 LYD 5.77

4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 LYD 5.43

$1.48 LYD 9.43

-42.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 LYD 29.05

$3.91 LYD 24.88

16.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.20

$0.03 LYD 0.21

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

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

$16.4K LYD 104.8K

-16.77%

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

$16.4K LYD 104.4K

$14.8K LYD 94.1K

10.89%

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

$32.67 LYD 208

$14.44 LYD 92.0

126.25%

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

$8.27 LYD 52.7

$7.16 LYD 45.60

15.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.56 LYD 144

$33.89 LYD 216

-33.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.55 LYD 176

$19.05 LYD 121

44.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.74 LYD 74.8

$10.56 LYD 67.3

11.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 LYD 28.62

$4.71 LYD 29.98

-4.67%

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

$52.4 LYD 334

$60.0 LYD 382

-12.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$932 LYD 5,939

$869 LYD 5,534

7.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.40 LYD 136

$27.57 LYD 176

-22.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 LYD 228

$28.98 LYD 185

23.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.6 LYD 323

$48.49 LYD 309

4.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 LYD 355

$63.3 LYD 403

-11.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 LYD 1,350

$194 LYD 1,238

9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 LYD 764

$115 LYD 731

4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 LYD 2,488

$378 LYD 2,409

3.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 LYD 1,386

$231 LYD 1,472

-5.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 LYD 1,548

$263 LYD 1,675

-7.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

-30.00%

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

Last update for Tripoli: July 11, 2026

Last update for Benghazi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $212 in Tripoli versus $194 in Benghazi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Benghazi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Tripoli versus $15.00 in Benghazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $108 – making Benghazi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Tripoli vs Benghazi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $505 in Tripoli, $439 in Benghazi – roughly 15% apart. Tripoli costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $758 per month in Tripoli and $659 in Benghazi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Benghazi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Tripoli, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Tripoli and $15.00 in Benghazi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $505 in Tripoli and $439 in Benghazi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Benghazi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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