Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tripoli and Derna

For one person, living is cheaper in Derna: $172 a month against $538 in Tripoli, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Tripoli
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Tripoli Living Index

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Tripoli

🇱🇾 Libya

$538

/mo nomad

Derna

🇱🇾 Libya

$172

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tripoli and in Derna

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

A single person spends $538 per month in Tripoli vs $172 in Derna, rent included.

Tripoli $538
Derna $172

A couple spends around $812 per month in Tripoli vs $335 in Derna, rent included.

Tripoli $812
Derna $335

A family of three spends $1,087 per month in Tripoli vs $497 in Derna, rent included.

Tripoli $1,087
Derna $497

Tripoli costs about 212% more than Derna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tripoli and Derna are more affordable than the global median – Tripoli 60% lower, Derna 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 LYD 24.48

$3.80 LYD 24.32

0.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.79 LYD 101

$7.73 LYD 49.56

104.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.60 LYD 16.69

$3.20 LYD 20.50

-18.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.63 LYD 4.04

$0.46 LYD 2.92

36.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 LYD 4.41

$0.63 LYD 4.06

9.52%

Cappuccino

$0.44 LYD 2.83

$0.48 LYD 3.09

-8.33%

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

$0.42 LYD 2.68

$0.32 LYD 2.08

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.10 LYD 0.63

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 LYD 6.25

$0.74 LYD 4.77

31.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 LYD 1.28

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 LYD 7.62

$2.34 LYD 15.00

-49.15%

Eggs

$1.38 LYD 8.83

$0.89 LYD 5.71

55.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.33 LYD 34.13

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 LYD 23.16

$3.08 LYD 19.74

17.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 LYD 58.7

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 LYD 14.29

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 LYD 9.57

$0.75 LYD 4.79

98.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 LYD 4.54

$0.94 LYD 6.02

-24.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 LYD 3.55

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 LYD 4.94

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 LYD 3.14

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 LYD 2.51

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 LYD 1.31

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 LYD 11.32

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 LYD 6.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 LYD 4.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 LYD 12.24

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 LYD 1.91

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 LYD 5.10

$0.82 LYD 5.24

-2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 LYD 3.09

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.02 LYD 0.13

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

$23.6K LYD 151.3K

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

$21.0K LYD 134.7K

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

$93.1 LYD 597

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

$6.05 LYD 38.75

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.35 LYD 175

$14.18 LYD 90.9

92.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.58 LYD 158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.36 LYD 15.14

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

$53.1 LYD 340

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,534 LYD 9,830

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.65 LYD 145

$31.15 LYD 200

-27.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.61 LYD 113

$38.11 LYD 244

-53.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.3 LYD 406

$38.50 LYD 247

64.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.1 LYD 430

$38.94 LYD 250

72.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$351 LYD 2,251

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$143 LYD 917

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 LYD 3,968

$157 LYD 1,009

293.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 LYD 1,655

$94.3 LYD 604

173.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$191 LYD 1,224

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$76.9 LYD 493

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 LYD 1,646

$169 LYD 1,084

51.87%

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

Last update for Tripoli: October 19, 2026

Last update for Derna: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tripoli

$143 26.6%

Derna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tripoli

$126 23.5%

Derna

–

Groceries & Markets

Tripoli

$117 21.7%

Derna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Tripoli

$77 14.3%

Derna

–

Eating Out

Tripoli

$46 8.5%

Derna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Tripoli

$25 * 4.6%

Derna

–

Getting Around

Tripoli

$4.4 * 0.8%

Derna

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 52% higher in Tripoli, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Tripoli versus $8.00 in Derna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $44.00 – making Derna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇾 Tripoli

🇱🇾 Derna

🕒 Local time

12:48 12:48 PM

Same time as Tripoli

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,127,000 Capital

50,000

💱 Currency

Libyan Dinar LYD ل.د

📈 Exchange rate

1 LYD = 0.156 USD

1 LYD = 0.139 EUR

1 LYD = 0.156 USD

1 LYD = 0.139 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Tripoli Derna 880 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Tripoli
Derna

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

Tripoli vs Derna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tripoli costs about 212% more than Derna, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $807 per month in Tripoli and $258 in Derna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $538 in Tripoli and $172 in Derna. That's a gap of about 212%.

Groceries cost about 165% more in Tripoli, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $538 in Tripoli and $172 in Derna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Derna – 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 Derna. 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.