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: $1,108 in Zouk Mikael versus $980 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,717 in Zouk Mikael versus $1,570 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,326 in Zouk Mikael versus $2,160 in Byblos.

Living in Zouk Mikael is roughly 13% more expensive than Byblos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zouk Mikael 18% lower, Byblos 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 LBP 952.5K

$7.96 LBP 712.4K

33.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 LBP 5.3M

$41.68 LBP 3.7M

42.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 LBP 709.9K

$7.93 LBP 709.5K

Cappuccino

$3.31 LBP 295.9K

$2.98 LBP 267.1K

11.07%

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

$1.56 LBP 139.9K

$0.98 LBP 87.4K

59.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

$1.01 LBP 90.8K

-12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 LBP 304.9K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 LBP 435.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LBP 152.6K

$1.21 LBP 108.2K

41.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LBP 28.8K

$0.62 LBP 55.5K

-48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 LBP 162.1K

$1.61 LBP 144.1K

12.42%

Eggs

$3.23 LBP 288.8K

$2.14 LBP 191.2K

50.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 LBP 460.3K

$9.20 LBP 823.3K

-44.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.72 LBP 869.6K

$8.43 LBP 754.5K

15.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 LBP 1.0M

$11.77 LBP 1.1M

-3.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 156.0K

$3.04 LBP 272.4K

-42.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 LBP 130.7K

$2.05 LBP 183.5K

-28.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.1K

$1.02 LBP 90.9K

12.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LBP 94.6K

$1.96 LBP 175.6K

-45.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 LBP 36.7K

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

-59.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.3K

$0.97 LBP 87.0K

3.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

$1.02 LBP 90.9K

-20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.9K

$1.02 LBP 91.2K

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 LBP 227.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 LBP 893.5K

$4.02 LBP 359.5K

148.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 LBP 76.4K

$1.53 LBP 137.4K

-44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.3K

$1.95 LBP 174.3K

9.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 LBP 454.1K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 LBP 113.3K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 LBP 84.8K

$0.91 LBP 81.5K

4.40%

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

$35.6K LBP 3.2B

$22.9K LBP 2.1B

55.29%

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

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$22.5K LBP 2.0B

23.00%

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

$167 LBP 15.0M

$99.2 LBP 8.9M

68.61%

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

$37.25 LBP 3.3M

$22.48 LBP 2.0M

65.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.13 LBP 3.3M

$25.19 LBP 2.3M

47.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.84 LBP 3.4M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.81 LBP 1.7M

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 LBP 704.6K

$10.07 LBP 901.3K

-21.85%

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

$306 LBP 27.4M

$402 LBP 36.0M

-23.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,512 LBP 403.8M

$3,047 LBP 272.7M

48.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 LBP 6.5M

$99.2 LBP 8.9M

-27.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.72 LBP 4.1M

$98.9 LBP 8.9M

-53.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 LBP 6.6M

$121 LBP 10.8M

-38.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 LBP 8.5M

$148 LBP 13.3M

-35.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 LBP 43.9M

$302 LBP 27.0M

62.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 LBP 27.3M

$221 LBP 19.8M

37.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 LBP 90.0M

$809 LBP 72.4M

24.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 LBP 44.9M

$397 LBP 35.5M

26.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,352 LBP 121.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$839 LBP 75.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$991 LBP 88.7M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Byblos: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $491 in Zouk Mikael and $302 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Zouk Mikael vs $42.00 in Byblos. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 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 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,663 in Zouk Mikael and $1,471 in Byblos 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: $491 in Zouk Mikael versus $302 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Zouk Mikael versus $402 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 $980 in Byblos versus $1,108 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 13% less than in Zouk Mikael. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.