How Much Does It Cost to Live In Beirut?
The thing about Beirut is that it’s rather expensive and here’s why: most of the people in Beirut are making much more than the rest of the population, creating this bubble of inflated prices in this city.
However, if your mind is set on living modestly, you really can do so, as Beirut allows people to really spend small amounts of money on all basic things.
You can still rent for few hundred dollars, buy your food from low cost shops and send your kids to free schools.
Lebanon : Cost of Living by City
RESTAURANTS
Beirut is brimming with luxurious restaurants and gorgeous food, and if you have money, they can be expensive but worth every penny. However, there are also many mainstream restaurants, that offer good value for money. However, you should be ready to pay for your drinks as the price of a bear can reach up to 5$ or 6$ at pubs and clubs.
MARKETS
You can save a lot of money if you decide to cook, and with the prices in Beirut, you will probably want to save some money. Practice going to supermarkets and open markets that often pop up in the city. Most basic groceries you can get for less than 3$, and fruit and veggies are really cheap.
TRANSPORTATION
As for transportation, it’s pretty badly organized in Beirut. You cannot rely on buses, since they are always full and badly maintained. There isn’t a schedule or anything resembling peak hours – the chaos is omnipresent. However, you can hail a kind of taxi which then drops you wherever you need to be for a relatively low price.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
All the basic utilities, including electricity, garbage services, heating, cooling and gas, for an apartment of a larger constitution (say, 852) would cost around 140$ or less. Internet, however, is a bit more pricey. In general, utilities aren’t as costly as you would expect in a country where expenses keep on increasing and rising.
SPORTS & LEISURE
As in most cities and countries, sports is an expensive pleasure. If you want a membership in a gym or a fitness club, be ready to spill out around whopping 70$. Since fitness and gym membership is this expensive, you can’t expect cinema tickets to be cheap do you? One will cost you around 10$ – and don’t expect any popcorn.
CLOTHING & SHOES
Shopping in Lebanon is almost the same as shopping in Dubai. Downtown Beirut has some of the most luxurious brands and designers around the world. The prices reflect this. Quality running sneakers of brands like Nike costs more than 100$ which is really expensive. Even the light pieces of clothing, like a regular shirt, cost around 50$.
RENT PER MONTH
Rent is pretty expensive in Beirut if you’re looking to rent an apartment in the city or even near one. Rent in rural areas and in villages, on the other side, is not that expensive. You can get a good four-room, two-bathroom flat for only 200$ a month. In turn, a one-bedroom apartment in downtown Beirut costs around 900$ and more.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Beirut
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $10.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $3.00 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.39 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $2.22 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $0.90 |
| Eggs (12) | $3.02 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $1.33 |
| Monthly Pass | $60.00 |
| Gasoline | $0.94 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $143.09 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.31 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $45.54 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $67.22 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $27.92 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $10.00 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $71.74 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $49.10 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $107.50 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $936.60 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $492.32 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $2111.23 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Beirut?
The average person in Beirut doesn’t spend the biggest bulk of the money on food – which is really rear!
The biggest expense in this country is, without a doubt, rent, followed by food supplies.
Both food and rent can be expensive, though rent is through the roof!
Given the average salary, you should set aside more than half of it in order to pay for rent.
Restaurants and transportation are next on the list of expenses an average Lebanese person spends their money on.
Average Costs Breakdown
Beirut: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Minimum wage in Beirut is around 450$ 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 1000$, 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.
Beirut Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Beirut Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: HIGH
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
