Lebanon : Cost of Living by City
How Much Does It Cost to Live in Lebanon?
It is somewhat expensive to live in Lebanon and in recent years, it got even more expensive.
Prices bounced way up while wages stayed the same, and currently, Lebanon is the third most expensive Arab country to live in after Kuwait and Qatar.
And, of course, like everywhere else, the expenses may vary from one region to another, but when it comes to the capital, Beirut is the ninth most expensive city in the world for ex-pats and tourists.
However, there are still ways to live there and not spend too much money: you can still rent for a few hundred dollars and buy your food from low-cost shops.
Cost of Living Breakdown in Lebanon
RESTAURANTS
Lebanon is filled with luxurious restaurants and gorgeous food, and if you have money, it can be expensive.
However, there are also many mainstream restaurants, but they do offer good value for money.
However, you should be ready to pay for your drinks as the price of a beer can reach up to 5$ or 6$ at pubs and clubs.
| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $10.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $3.00 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.75 |
MARKETS
You can save a lot of money if you decide to cook, and with the prices in Lebanon, you will probably want to save some money.
Practice going to supermarkets and open markets that often pop up in major cities, and if your diet includes a lot of veggies and fruits you can truly save plenty of money.
| Average Market Prices | |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 Liter) | $5.00 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $1.19 |
| Eggs (12) | $2.96 |
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation is relatively affordable in Lebanon.
A one-way ticket costs a lot more than in some inexpensive countries – it’s around 1.40$, while a monthly ticket costs around 65$ which are reasonable, considering the standard of the country.
If you use multiple forms of transport a day, you’ll need around 7$ daily only for transport.
| Average Transport Prices | |
|---|---|
| One Way Ticket | $1.33 |
| Monthly Pass | $65.22 |
| Gasoline | $1.12 |
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities aren’t as costly as you would expect in a country where expenses keep on increasing and rising.
All the basic ones, including electricity, garbage services, heating, cooling, and gas, for an apartment of a larger constitution (say, 852) would cost around 200$ or less.
Internet, however, is a bit more pricey.
| Average Utilities Prices | |
|---|---|
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $196.66 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.30 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $54.71 |
SPORTS & LEISURE
As in most cities and countries, sports are an expensive pleasure.
If you want membership in a gym or a fitness club, be ready to spill out around a whopping 51.63$.
Since fitness and gym membership is this expensive, you don’t expect cinema tickets to be cheap, do you?
One will cost you around 10$ – without the popcorn.
| Average Leisure Prices | |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $51.63 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $20.89 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $10.00 |
CLOTHING & SHOES
You can buy clothing and shoes in Lebanon, just beware of the prices, as they aren’t low.
You can buy quality jeans like Levi’s for about 70$, which is along the lines of the European norm.
Quality running sneakers from brands like Nike costs more than 100$ which is really expensive.
Even light pieces of clothing, like a regular shirt, cost around 50$.
| Average Clothing Prices | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $71.79 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $61.76 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $114.41 |
RENT PER MONTH
Rent is pretty expensive in Lebanon if you’re looking to rent an apartment in the city or even near one.
Rent in rural areas and in villages, on the other side, is not that expensive.
You can get a good four-room, two-bathroom flat for only 200$ a month.
In turn, a one-bedroom apartment in the city center costs around 685$.
| Average Rent Prices | |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $685.00 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $368.30 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $1445.2 |
HEALTHCARE
Lebanon has a mixed healthcare system with public and private providers, and private insurance is commonly used.
Private insurance typically costs around 50 to 150 USD per month.
Out-of-pocket spending is high, averaging roughly 500 to 1,000 USD per person per year for medications, hospital visits, and diagnostics.
With average monthly salaries of 700 to 800 USD, healthcare costs can be a significant financial burden for many households.
EDUCATION
Public primary and secondary schools are tuition‑free in principle, but families pay for uniforms, books, and supplies; private schools often charge significant annual tuition.
Public universities charge modest tuition, while private universities charge higher amounts.
Students also pay housing, food, and transport costs.
Average monthly income is roughly $410 to $470, so education costs are a large share of household income.
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Lebanon?
The average person in Lebanon doesn’t spend the biggest bulk of the money on food – which is a rarity!
No, the biggest expense in this country is, without a doubt, rent, followed by food supplies.
Rent is unusually high in Lebanon, and given the average salary, you should set aside more than half of it in order to pay for rent.
Restaurants and transportation are next on the list of expenses an average Lebanese person spends money on, and the last on the list is clothing and shoes.
Average Costs Breakdown
Lebanon: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
The minimum wage in Lebanon is around 445.8$ which is nowhere near enough to cover all costs and expenses, especially taking into consideration how high the rent can be.
Even with an average monthly net salary of around 584.58$, you don’t get enough money to cover all other expenses, besides rent, because you already have to set aside more than half of it for rent only.
Those who don’t rent, however, are rather lucky and can earn enough money for a comfortable living, without having to worry about tomorrow.
Lebanon Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Lebanon Safety Review
| OVERALL RISK | HIGH |
|---|---|
| TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK | MEDIUM |
| PICKPOCKETS RISK | MEDIUM |
| NATURAL DISASTERS RISK | MEDIUM |
| MUGGING RISK | HIGH |
| TERRORISM RISK | HIGH |
| SCAMS RISK | MEDIUM |
| WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK | HIGH |
| TAP WATER RISK | MEDIUM |
Cost of Living by City in Lebanon
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Beirut |
60.79 |
It’s no more that expensive, Since we are facing a $ collapse, Tripoli is a lot cheaper than Beirut and it has a lot of historical places to visit, although, Tripoli is known for food specially the Arabian sweets
Can you please tell me more, i want to visit beirut
Those prices are extremely inaccurate
So renting for a few hundred dollars and shopping at low-cost stores is the big solution, huh? Sounds like a thrilling treasure hunt to find a decent meal while juggling skyrocketing prices. What happened to that dream of living comfortably without feeling like you need to sell a kidney on the black market?