Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zawiya and Derna

For one person, living is cheaper in Derna: $173 a month against $441 in Zawiya, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Zawiya
Learn more

Zawiya Living Index

Jump to prices

Zawiya

🇱🇾 Libya

$441

/mo nomad

Derna

🇱🇾 Libya

$173

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zawiya and in Derna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zawiya and in Derna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $441 per month in Zawiya vs $173 in Derna, rent included.

Zawiya $441
Derna $173

A couple spends around $686 per month in Zawiya vs $335 in Derna, rent included.

Zawiya $686
Derna $335

A family of three spends $930 per month in Zawiya vs $497 in Derna, rent included.

Zawiya $930
Derna $497

Zawiya costs about 155% more than Derna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Zawiya and Derna are more affordable than the global median – Zawiya 68% lower, Derna 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 LYD 14.74

$3.79 LYD 24.31

-39.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.47 LYD 99.2

$7.79 LYD 49.90

98.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.71 LYD 17.39

$3.14 LYD 20.10

-13.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.45 LYD 2.87

$0.46 LYD 2.93

-2.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.14

$0.59 LYD 3.79

10.17%

Cappuccino

$0.44 LYD 2.82

$0.49 LYD 3.13

-10.20%

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

$0.44 LYD 2.84

$0.32 LYD 2.08

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 LYD 0.71

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 LYD 5.82

$0.73 LYD 4.65

24.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 LYD 1.28

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 LYD 6.50

$2.38 LYD 15.27

-57.56%

Eggs

$1.35 LYD 8.66

$0.90 LYD 5.75

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.74 LYD 30.38

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 LYD 22.88

$3.18 LYD 20.40

12.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 LYD 56.8

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 LYD 12.92

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 LYD 9.44

$0.80 LYD 5.12

83.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 LYD 4.49

$0.91 LYD 5.86

-23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 LYD 3.27

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 LYD 3.72

Onion (1kg)

$0.26 LYD 1.64

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 LYD 1.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.16 LYD 1.05

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.79 LYD 5.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 LYD 4.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 LYD 10.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 LYD 4.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.22 LYD 251

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 LYD 4.79

$0.74 LYD 4.75

1.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 LYD 2.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 LYD 14.80

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.02 LYD 0.12

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

$15.5K LYD 99.4K

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

$16.8K LYD 107.4K

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

$94.4 LYD 605

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

$5.57 LYD 35.69

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.25 LYD 78.5

$13.96 LYD 89.5

-12.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.31 LYD 111

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.01 LYD 25.70

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 LYD 25.15

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

$51.5 LYD 330

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$897 LYD 5,749

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.81 LYD 133

$31.77 LYD 204

-34.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.19 LYD 283

$38.45 LYD 246

14.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.99 LYD 199

$38.87 LYD 249

-20.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.62 LYD 203

$38.67 LYD 248

-18.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 LYD 570

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.4 LYD 375

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 LYD 1,049

$156 LYD 999

5.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$121 LYD 772

$91.9 LYD 589

31.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$347 LYD 2,227

$195 LYD 1,249

78.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$98.1 LYD 629

$76.7 LYD 492

27.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LYD 1,609

$168 LYD 1,077

49.34%

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

Last update for Zawiya: October 26, 2026

Last update for Derna: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zawiya

$112 25.4%

Derna

–

Groceries & Markets

Zawiya

$109 24.7%

Derna

–

Accommodation & Living

Zawiya

$58 13.2%

Derna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Zawiya

$57 13%

Derna

–

Getting Around

Zawiya

$45 10.2%

Derna

–

Eating Out

Zawiya

$34 7.7%

Derna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Zawiya

$25 5.7%

Derna

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 49% higher in Zawiya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15 in Zawiya versus $8 in Derna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $109 vs $45 – making Derna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇾 Zawiya

🇱🇾 Derna

🕒 Local time

00:08 12:08 AM

Same time as Zawiya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

318,726

50,000

💱 Currency

Libyan Dinar LYD ل.د

📈 Exchange rate

1 LYD = 0.156 USD

1 LYD = 0.14 EUR

1 LYD = 0.156 USD

1 LYD = 0.14 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Zawiya Derna 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Zawiya
Derna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Derna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zawiya costs about 155% more than Derna, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $662 per month in Zawiya and $259 in Derna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $441 in Zawiya and $173 in Derna. That makes Derna about 61% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 143% more in Zawiya, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $441 in Zawiya and $173 in Derna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

If budget matters most, go with Derna. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zawiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.