Cost of Living Comparison Between Zawiya and Benghazi Cost of Living Comparison Between Zawiya and Benghazi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $426 per month in Zawiya vs $425 in Benghazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $654 per month in Zawiya vs $721 in Benghazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $881 per month in Zawiya vs $1,018 in Benghazi, rent included.

Zawiya and Benghazi have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Zawiya and Benghazi are more affordable than the global median – Zawiya 69% lower, Benghazi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 LYD 14.53

$2.46 LYD 15.53

-6.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.04 LYD 94.9

$12.68 LYD 80.1

18.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.54 LYD 16.00

$2.38 LYD 15.01

6.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 LYD 3.06

$2.16 LYD 13.62

-77.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 LYD 3.90

$0.40 LYD 2.54

55.00%

Cappuccino

$0.42 LYD 2.63

$0.65 LYD 4.07

-35.38%

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

$0.42 LYD 2.64

$0.47 LYD 2.96

-10.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.09 LYD 0.57

$0.14 LYD 0.90

-35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 LYD 5.72

$0.81 LYD 5.12

12.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 LYD 1.26

$0.18 LYD 1.16

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 LYD 7.05

$1.40 LYD 8.85

-20.00%

Eggs

$1.03 LYD 6.48

$1.69 LYD 10.67

-39.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.66 LYD 29.43

$6.32 LYD 39.87

-26.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 LYD 20.97

$2.82 LYD 17.81

17.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 LYD 55.9

$11.19 LYD 70.6

-20.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 LYD 11.70

$2.27 LYD 14.31

-18.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 LYD 7.83

$1.80 LYD 11.35

-31.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 LYD 4.47

$1.19 LYD 7.50

-40.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.32

$0.76 LYD 4.77

-30.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 LYD 3.09

$0.80 LYD 5.05

-38.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.27 LYD 1.70

$0.64 LYD 4.05

-57.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 LYD 1.88

$0.34 LYD 2.16

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 LYD 1.13

$0.21 LYD 1.32

-14.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 LYD 4.89

$2.38 LYD 15.00

-67.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 LYD 4.63

$0.53 LYD 3.32

37.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 LYD 5.14

$0.81 LYD 5.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 LYD 10.55

$1.84 LYD 11.58

-9.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 LYD 4.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.03 LYD 246

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 LYD 4.92

$1.55 LYD 9.78

-49.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 LYD 3.11

$0.33 LYD 2.05

48.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 LYD 15.16

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.02 LYD 0.13

$0.02 LYD 0.12

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

$15.6K LYD 98.8K

$12.4K LYD 78.2K

26.22%

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

$14.0K LYD 88.5K

$14.8K LYD 93.4K

-5.27%

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

$93.3 LYD 589

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

$5.67 LYD 35.81

$4.50 LYD 28.42

26.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.23 LYD 77.2

$18.96 LYD 120

-35.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.20 LYD 109

$17.82 LYD 112

-3.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 LYD 24.75

$3.97 LYD 25.06

-1.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 LYD 24.32

$6.41 LYD 40.45

-39.94%

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

$52.7 LYD 332

$77.3 LYD 488

-31.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$628 LYD 3,966

$360 LYD 2,275

74.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.22 LYD 134

$42.51 LYD 268

-50.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.59 LYD 111

$35.70 LYD 225

-50.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.97 LYD 177

$42.87 LYD 271

-34.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.76 LYD 200

$68.3 LYD 431

-53.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.1 LYD 575

$189 LYD 1,191

-51.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.2 LYD 367

$117 LYD 739

-50.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$171 LYD 1,082

$424 LYD 2,678

-59.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 LYD 735

$260 LYD 1,642

-55.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$469 LYD 2,960

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.80 LYD 245

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$255 LYD 1,611

$267 LYD 1,685

-4.40%

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

Last update for Zawiya: September 6, 2026

Last update for Benghazi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $91.1 in Zawiya versus $189 in Benghazi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Benghazi. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Zawiya versus $13.00 in Benghazi. Groceries tell a different story – $104 in Zawiya vs $127 in Benghazi – so Zawiya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Zawiya vs Benghazi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $639 per month in Zawiya and $638 in Benghazi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Benghazi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $52.7 per month in Zawiya and $77.3 in Benghazi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Zawiya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $426 in Zawiya and $425 in Benghazi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Benghazi – 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 Benghazi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zawiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.