Cost of Living Comparison Between Tripoli and Zawiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Tripoli and Zawiya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $502 in Tripoli versus $410 in Zawiya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $794 in Tripoli versus $688 in Zawiya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,085 in Tripoli versus $965 in Zawiya.

Living in Tripoli is roughly 22% more expensive than Zawiya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tripoli 63% lower, Zawiya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 LYD 28.60

$2.80 LYD 17.78

60.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.44 LYD 117

$18.48 LYD 118

-0.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 LYD 23.52

$3.63 LYD 23.10

1.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 LYD 3.67

$0.57 LYD 3.61

1.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.18

$0.68 LYD 4.30

-2.94%

Cappuccino

$0.48 LYD 3.05

$0.49 LYD 3.10

-2.04%

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

$0.48 LYD 3.08

$0.49 LYD 3.12

-2.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 LYD 0.76

$0.12 LYD 0.75

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 LYD 6.23

$1.03 LYD 6.55

-4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 LYD 1.33

$0.23 LYD 1.46

-8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 LYD 7.85

$1.24 LYD 7.86

-0.81%

Eggs

$1.45 LYD 9.25

$1.23 LYD 7.85

17.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.87 LYD 30.94

$5.02 LYD 31.94

-2.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 LYD 20.64

$3.27 LYD 20.81

-0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 LYD 66.0

$10.09 LYD 64.2

2.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 LYD 13.92

$2.06 LYD 13.11

6.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 LYD 8.17

$1.27 LYD 8.09

0.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 LYD 4.95

$0.83 LYD 5.25

-6.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.33

$0.55 LYD 3.52

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 LYD 4.14

$0.58 LYD 3.66

12.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 LYD 3.58

$0.31 LYD 1.97

80.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 LYD 2.42

$0.38 LYD 2.43

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 LYD 1.40

$0.17 LYD 1.07

29.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 LYD 8.11

$0.75 LYD 4.78

70.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.49

$0.70 LYD 4.46

1.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.11

$0.64 LYD 4.07

1.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 LYD 11.86

$1.84 LYD 11.73

1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 LYD 1.85

$0.93 LYD 5.92

-68.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 LYD 136

$46.59 LYD 296

-54.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LYD 6.02

$0.96 LYD 6.11

-1.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 LYD 5.41

$0.89 LYD 5.67

-4.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 LYD 28.54

$2.74 LYD 17.42

63.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.17

$0.03 LYD 0.18

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

$13.9K LYD 88.2K

$13.7K LYD 87.4K

0.90%

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

$16.6K LYD 105.6K

$16.2K LYD 103.1K

2.44%

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

$31.84 LYD 202

$32.55 LYD 207

-2.18%

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

$8.02 LYD 51.0

$6.52 LYD 41.44

23.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.67 LYD 144

$14.02 LYD 89.2

61.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.49 LYD 181

$20.08 LYD 128

41.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.20 LYD 77.6

$4.48 LYD 28.49

172.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 LYD 29.35

$4.55 LYD 28.93

1.54%

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

$52.4 LYD 333

$53.1 LYD 337

-1.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$914 LYD 5,812

$908 LYD 5,772

0.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.51 LYD 137

$21.60 LYD 137

-0.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.82 LYD 228

$34.94 LYD 222

2.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.76 LYD 316

$31.97 LYD 203

55.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 LYD 351

$36.00 LYD 229

53.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 LYD 1,316

$107 LYD 679

93.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 LYD 780

$69.1 LYD 440

77.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 LYD 2,496

$201 LYD 1,280

94.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 LYD 1,434

$136 LYD 863

66.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$470 LYD 2,988

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.66 LYD 246

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 LYD 1,574

$260 LYD 1,653

-4.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

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

Last update for Tripoli: May 30, 2026

Last update for Zawiya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Tripoli and $107 in Zawiya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zawiya pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Tripoli vs $18.00 in Zawiya. Groceries flip the comparison at $116 vs $114, with Zawiya 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

Tripoli vs Zawiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zawiya is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Zawiya earns 5% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $207 in Tripoli versus $107 in Zawiya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $52.4 in Tripoli versus $53.1 in Zawiya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Tripoli. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Zawiya gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Zawiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Tripoli. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.