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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,111 in Zouk Mikael versus $998 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,684 in Zouk Mikael versus $1,589 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,257 in Zouk Mikael versus $2,180 in Byblos.

Living in Zouk Mikael is roughly 11% more expensive than Byblos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zouk Mikael 17% lower, Byblos 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.61 LBP 949.6K

$8.10 LBP 724.9K

30.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

$41.76 LBP 3.7M

41.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 LBP 709.0K

$8.19 LBP 733.4K

-3.30%

Cappuccino

$3.26 LBP 292.1K

$2.94 LBP 263.3K

10.88%

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

$1.62 LBP 145.1K

$0.98 LBP 87.4K

65.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

-5.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 LBP 315.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 LBP 439.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 LBP 160.8K

$1.25 LBP 111.5K

44.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LBP 29.0K

$0.65 LBP 58.5K

-50.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 LBP 157.2K

$1.60 LBP 143.6K

10.00%

Eggs

$3.08 LBP 275.7K

$2.04 LBP 182.7K

50.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.05 LBP 452.1K

$9.18 LBP 821.9K

-44.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 LBP 834.4K

$8.18 LBP 732.4K

13.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 LBP 1.0M

$12.17 LBP 1.1M

-5.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.4K

$3.06 LBP 273.7K

-43.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 LBP 131.7K

$2.04 LBP 182.6K

-27.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.3K

$1.03 LBP 91.9K

5.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

$2.02 LBP 180.7K

-46.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 LBP 34.2K

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

-60.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.6K

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

-12.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LBP 49.7K

$0.98 LBP 87.8K

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 230.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 LBP 1.0M

$4.09 LBP 365.6K

174.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

$1.50 LBP 134.0K

-42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 LBP 192.3K

$1.98 LBP 177.3K

8.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 LBP 91.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 LBP 457.6K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 LBP 113.8K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.39 LBP 1.8M

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 LBP 84.7K

$0.92 LBP 82.2K

3.26%

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

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

$22.2K LBP 2.0B

55.94%

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

$28.3K LBP 2.5B

$22.7K LBP 2.0B

24.96%

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

$171 LBP 15.3M

$101 LBP 9.0M

69.25%

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

$38.26 LBP 3.4M

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

70.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.35 LBP 3.3M

$24.83 LBP 2.2M

50.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.59 LBP 3.4M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 LBP 1.7M

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 LBP 717.9K

$9.93 LBP 888.4K

-19.23%

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

$303 LBP 27.1M

$403 LBP 36.1M

-24.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,506 LBP 403.3M

$2,964 LBP 265.3M

52.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 LBP 6.4M

$98.3 LBP 8.8M

-27.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.55 LBP 4.1M

$101 LBP 9.1M

-55.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 LBP 6.8M

$119 LBP 10.7M

-36.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 LBP 8.3M

$153 LBP 13.7M

-39.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 LBP 44.5M

$295 LBP 26.4M

68.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 LBP 27.1M

$228 LBP 20.4M

32.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 LBP 88.9M

$796 LBP 71.2M

24.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 LBP 45.3M

$407 LBP 36.5M

24.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,326 LBP 118.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$855 LBP 76.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$496 LBP 44.4M

$998 LBP 89.4M

-50.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

-46.88%

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

Last update for Zouk Mikael: April 26, 2026

Last update for Byblos: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Zouk Mikael and $295 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 101% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Zouk Mikael vs $42.00 in Byblos. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $221, with Zouk Mikael cheaper for home cooking.

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 Byblos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Byblos is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Byblos earns 101% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $497 in Zouk Mikael versus $295 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Zouk Mikael versus $403 in Byblos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Byblos – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $59.0 in Zouk Mikael. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $998 in Byblos versus $1,111 in Zouk Mikael, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Byblos but tight or insufficient in Zouk Mikael. The gap between the two cities makes Byblos 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 Byblos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Zouk Mikael. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.