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: $1,095 in Zahlah versus $1,431 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,704 in Zahlah versus $2,303 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,313 in Zahlah versus $3,176 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 18% below, Beirut is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

$10.75 LBP 961.7K

2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

$61.0 LBP 5.5M

-3.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 LBP 700.0K

$8.21 LBP 735.0K

-4.75%

Cappuccino

$3.29 LBP 294.3K

$3.25 LBP 290.4K

1.23%

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

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

3.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 LBP 319.3K

$3.46 LBP 309.5K

3.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 LBP 181.0K

$4.89 LBP 437.7K

-58.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

$1.71 LBP 153.0K

-40.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.3K

$0.85 LBP 76.2K

-1.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

$1.75 LBP 156.6K

4.00%

Eggs

$3.06 LBP 274.1K

$3.09 LBP 277.0K

-0.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 LBP 1.0M

$11.16 LBP 998.5K

0.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 LBP 851.2K

$9.42 LBP 843.4K

0.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 LBP 1.0M

$11.58 LBP 1.0M

-0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 LBP 154.1K

$1.80 LBP 161.4K

-4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 LBP 131.2K

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

$1.10 LBP 98.7K

2.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

$1.10 LBP 98.1K

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

$0.93 LBP 83.2K

6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.0K

$1.04 LBP 93.2K

-2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

$0.88 LBP 78.5K

-7.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LBP 49.9K

$0.52 LBP 46.6K

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 229.9K

$2.48 LBP 222.4K

3.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 LBP 887.3K

$9.98 LBP 893.6K

-0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

$1.28 LBP 114.2K

-0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 LBP 198.9K

$2.21 LBP 197.7K

0.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 LBP 173.7K

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.5 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 LBP 455.2K

$4.87 LBP 435.6K

4.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

$1.23 LBP 109.9K

-0.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.97 LBP 1.8M

$19.64 LBP 1.8M

1.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 79.2K

$0.88 LBP 78.7K

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

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

$34.4K LBP 3.1B

0.91%

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

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

1.37%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$217 LBP 19.5M

-0.40%

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

$36.97 LBP 3.3M

$37.05 LBP 3.3M

-0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 LBP 3.3M

$37.01 LBP 3.3M

-0.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 LBP 6.2M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 LBP 2.6M

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 LBP 731.0K

$8.21 LBP 734.5K

-0.49%

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

$300 LBP 26.9M

$301 LBP 26.9M

-0.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,530 LBP 405.4M

$4,452 LBP 398.4M

1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

$71.2 LBP 6.4M

-1.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.20 LBP 4.0M

$44.19 LBP 4.0M

2.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.8M

$122 LBP 10.9M

-1.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 LBP 8.5M

$93.8 LBP 8.4M

1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 LBP 71.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 LBP 17.9M

$377 LBP 33.7M

-46.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,958 LBP 175.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 LBP 35.2M

$969 LBP 86.7M

-59.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,908 LBP 349.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 LBP 175.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$708 LBP 63.3M

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Beirut: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $59.0 in Zahlah vs $61.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $233 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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,642 in Zahlah and $2,146 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 $1,095 per month in Zahlah versus $1,431 in Beirut – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,095 in Zahlah versus $1,431 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 31% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.