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: $1,069 in Zahlah versus $1,414 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,668 in Zahlah versus $2,339 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Zahlah versus $3,265 in Beirut.

Living in Zahlah costs roughly 24% less than in Beirut, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zahlah is 20% below, Beirut is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 LBP 969.9K

$10.65 LBP 952.9K

1.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 LBP 5.4M

$60.7 LBP 5.4M

-0.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 LBP 712.0K

$7.99 LBP 715.1K

-0.50%

Cappuccino

$3.26 LBP 292.1K

$3.31 LBP 296.1K

-1.51%

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

$1.59 LBP 142.1K

$1.57 LBP 140.3K

1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

-1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 LBP 317.6K

$3.40 LBP 304.2K

4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 LBP 182.1K

$4.95 LBP 443.0K

-58.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

$1.78 LBP 159.5K

-43.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.4K

$0.79 LBP 70.9K

6.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 LBP 159.3K

$1.75 LBP 157.0K

1.71%

Eggs

$3.22 LBP 288.3K

$3.21 LBP 287.7K

0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$11.16 LBP 998.8K

3.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 LBP 870.6K

$9.27 LBP 830.0K

4.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 LBP 1.0M

$11.64 LBP 1.0M

-2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 LBP 162.1K

$1.80 LBP 161.4K

0.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 LBP 135.6K

$1.45 LBP 130.1K

4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 98.0K

$1.10 LBP 98.8K

-0.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

-4.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 LBP 85.5K

$1.02 LBP 91.1K

-6.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.1K

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

-1.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

$0.82 LBP 73.5K

-1.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.4K

$0.52 LBP 46.8K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 230.2K

$2.55 LBP 228.6K

0.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 LBP 1.0M

$11.22 LBP 1.0M

-0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.9K

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

-3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 LBP 189.7K

$2.20 LBP 196.5K

-3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 LBP 181.1K

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 LBP 450.1K

$4.93 LBP 441.2K

2.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 108.9K

$1.23 LBP 110.4K

-0.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$19.90 LBP 1.8M

0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 LBP 83.7K

$0.95 LBP 84.8K

-1.05%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$35.1K LBP 3.1B

-1.00%

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

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-1.93%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$218 LBP 19.5M

-0.43%

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

$37.65 LBP 3.4M

$37.60 LBP 3.4M

0.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.82 LBP 3.4M

$37.77 LBP 3.4M

0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.2 LBP 6.1M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.88 LBP 2.6M

Cinema Ticket

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

$8.15 LBP 729.0K

-0.86%

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

$296 LBP 26.5M

$307 LBP 27.5M

-3.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,467 LBP 399.8M

$4,498 LBP 402.6M

-0.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

$70.3 LBP 6.3M

0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 LBP 4.0M

$45.04 LBP 4.0M

-0.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 LBP 11.2M

$121 LBP 10.8M

3.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

$94.6 LBP 8.5M

-1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 LBP 70.2M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 LBP 17.8M

$364 LBP 32.5M

-45.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 LBP 175.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 LBP 35.9M

$959 LBP 85.8M

-58.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,810 LBP 341.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,859 LBP 166.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$634 LBP 56.7M

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Beirut: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $60.0 in Zahlah vs $61.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $236 per month, with Zahlah cheaper across the board.

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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,604 in Zahlah and $2,121 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 2% higher in Beirut. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,069 per month in Zahlah versus $1,414 in Beirut – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,069 in Zahlah versus $1,414 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 32% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.