Cost of Living Comparison Between Zahlah and Beirut Cost of Living Comparison Between Zahlah and Beirut

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,085 in Zahlah versus $1,415 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,703 in Zahlah versus $2,305 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,320 in Zahlah versus $3,194 in Beirut.

Living in Zahlah costs roughly 23% less than in Beirut, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zahlah is 19% below, Beirut is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.89 LBP 974.2K

$10.75 LBP 962.3K

1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 LBP 5.4M

$59.1 LBP 5.3M

1.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

$7.83 LBP 700.4K

3.19%

Cappuccino

$3.38 LBP 302.6K

$3.25 LBP 290.8K

4.00%

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

$1.60 LBP 143.2K

$1.57 LBP 140.2K

1.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.0K

$0.91 LBP 81.8K

1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 LBP 304.6K

$3.58 LBP 320.0K

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 LBP 181.6K

$5.12 LBP 458.2K

-60.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

$1.78 LBP 159.2K

-44.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 LBP 76.6K

$0.84 LBP 75.0K

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 LBP 163.4K

$1.83 LBP 164.1K

Eggs

$3.10 LBP 277.1K

$3.15 LBP 282.1K

-1.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.17 LBP 1.0M

$11.13 LBP 996.1K

0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.69 LBP 867.0K

$9.46 LBP 846.6K

2.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 LBP 1.0M

$11.56 LBP 1.0M

-2.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 LBP 156.6K

$1.75 LBP 156.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 LBP 131.1K

$1.45 LBP 129.6K

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 LBP 98.7K

$1.11 LBP 99.1K

-0.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.5K

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

$0.98 LBP 88.1K

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 89.0K

$1.04 LBP 93.3K

-4.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 LBP 74.0K

$0.84 LBP 74.8K

-1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LBP 49.6K

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 LBP 227.0K

$2.46 LBP 220.3K

3.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 LBP 881.5K

$9.84 LBP 880.9K

0.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$1.23 LBP 110.0K

0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 LBP 200.0K

$2.13 LBP 190.5K

4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.2K

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.8 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 LBP 446.5K

$4.96 LBP 444.1K

0.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 LBP 110.8K

$1.21 LBP 108.6K

2.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.16 LBP 1.8M

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

1.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 79.1K

$0.88 LBP 78.5K

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

$35.1K LBP 3.1B

$35.5K LBP 3.2B

-1.23%

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

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

-1.15%

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

$213 LBP 19.0M

$217 LBP 19.4M

-2.02%

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

$38.04 LBP 3.4M

$37.94 LBP 3.4M

0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.87 LBP 3.4M

$36.74 LBP 3.3M

3.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 LBP 6.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.76 LBP 2.7M

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 LBP 713.0K

$7.91 LBP 707.6K

0.76%

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

$302 LBP 27.0M

$301 LBP 27.0M

0.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,371 LBP 391.2M

$4,365 LBP 390.7M

0.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 LBP 6.3M

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.76 LBP 4.0M

$45.58 LBP 4.1M

-1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 LBP 11.1M

$124 LBP 11.1M

0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 LBP 8.5M

$94.0 LBP 8.4M

1.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$814 LBP 72.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 LBP 17.6M

$368 LBP 33.0M

-46.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 LBP 175.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 LBP 36.1M

$945 LBP 84.6M

-57.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,731 LBP 333.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,986 LBP 177.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$670 LBP 60.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

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

Last update for Zahlah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Beirut: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $60.0 in Zahlah vs $59.0 in Beirut. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $233, with Zahlah 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

Zahlah vs Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zahlah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,628 in Zahlah and $2,122 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Beirut. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,085 per month in Zahlah versus $1,415 in Beirut – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,085 in Zahlah versus $1,415 in Beirut, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zahlah but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Zahlah 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, Zahlah 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 Zahlah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.