Cost of Living Comparison Between Zouk Mikael and Beirut Cost of Living Comparison Between Zouk Mikael and Beirut

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,097 in Zouk Mikael versus $1,437 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Zouk Mikael versus $2,353 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,307 in Zouk Mikael versus $3,269 in Beirut.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Zouk Mikael is 18% below, Beirut is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.95 LBP 980.4K

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 LBP 708.9K

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

-1.49%

Cappuccino

$3.36 LBP 301.0K

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

2.75%

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

$1.60 LBP 142.8K

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.6K

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 LBP 317.7K

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 LBP 444.7K

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

-1.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LBP 155.3K

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

-3.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LBP 28.7K

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

-62.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 LBP 163.6K

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

0.55%

Eggs

$3.23 LBP 289.0K

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

1.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 LBP 457.3K

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

-55.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 LBP 857.6K

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

-0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

1.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

5.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 LBP 134.9K

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

-1.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LBP 94.5K

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

-1.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 LBP 34.3K

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

-61.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

-0.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 LBP 75.2K

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 LBP 46.0K

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 LBP 219.6K

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

-0.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 LBP 907.5K

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 LBP 76.0K

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

-31.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 LBP 199.2K

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

1.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 LBP 451.8K

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

2.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 LBP 115.2K

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

0.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.01 LBP 1.8M

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

3.33%

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

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

0.34%

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

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

0.63%

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

$169 LBP 15.1M

$218 LBP 19.5M

-22.30%

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

$37.58 LBP 3.4M

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.54 LBP 3.3M

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

-2.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

-3.69%

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

$298 LBP 26.7M

$297 LBP 26.6M

0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,399 LBP 393.7M

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

-0.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

-2.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.73 LBP 4.1M

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

2.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 LBP 6.8M

$120 LBP 10.8M

-37.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 LBP 8.4M

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

-1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 LBP 44.0M

$809 LBP 72.4M

-39.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 LBP 26.8M

$370 LBP 33.1M

-19.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 LBP 91.2M

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

-49.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 LBP 44.8M

$950 LBP 85.0M

-47.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 LBP 58.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

11.16

-61.92%

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

Last update for Zouk Mikael: May 31, 2026

Last update for Beirut: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $492 in Zouk Mikael and $809 in Beirut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Zouk Mikael vs $60.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $236 per month, with Zouk Mikael 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

Zouk Mikael vs Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zouk Mikael is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,645 in Zouk Mikael and $2,155 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $492 in Zouk Mikael versus $809 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Beirut. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,097 per month in Zouk Mikael versus $1,437 in Beirut – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,097 in Zouk Mikael versus $1,437 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zouk Mikael but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Zouk Mikael 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.

Expats usually find Zouk Mikael 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.