Zahle at a glance
- Zahle ranks 7th of 8 priced cities in Lebanon on cost: $1,033 a month in essentials, 150% above Tripoli, the cheapest.
- The average net salary of $564 covers that 0.5×.
- 100.8 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at governorate level.
- PM2.5 averages 20.6 µg/m³ a year, 4× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 8 Lebanon cities we track, so every row says whether Zahle is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $1,033 | $1,033 | same |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $356 | $356 | same |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $658 | $658 | same |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $124 | $124 | same |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $240 | $240 | same |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $240 | $240 | same |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $73 | $73 | same |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $564 | $564 | same |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $813 | $813 | same |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $1,606 | $1,606 | same |
Single person, USD. Data updated August 6, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Zahle, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $10.04 | $10.04 | same |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $59.84 | $59.84 | same |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $8.80 | $8.80 | same |
| Cappuccino, regular | $3.96 | $3.96 | same |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $3.96 | $3.96 | same |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $4.40 | $4.40 | same |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $2.02 | $2.02 | same |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $0.78 | $0.78 | same |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.69 | $1.69 | same |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $0.76 | $0.76 | same |
| White rice, 1 kg | $1.92 | $1.92 | same |
| Eggs, 12 | $3.35 | $3.35 | same |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $11.84 | $11.84 | same |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $9.42 | $9.42 | same |
| Apples, 1 kg | $2.69 | $2.69 | same |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $1.48 | $1.48 | same |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $1.32 | $1.32 | same |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $1.21 | $1.21 | same |
| Onions, 1 kg | $1.47 | $1.47 | same |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $0.62 | $0.62 | same |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $2.11 | $2.11 | same |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly transit pass | $72.85 | $72.85 | same |
| Taxi start | $4.70 | $4.70 | same |
| Taxi, 1 km | $2.11 | $2.11 | same |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $0.92 | $0.92 | same |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $206.19 | $206.19 | same |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $33.44 | $33.44 | same |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $22.19 | $22.19 | same |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $75.13 | $75.13 | same |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $8.80 | $8.80 | same |
Dating-age sex ratio
Zahle has 100.8 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (governorate level). That is the highest of the 8 Lebanon cities we track. Lebanon's national figure is 96.3, so Zahle runs 4 above the country as a whole.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Zahle ranks against every city we track
Zahle sits ahead of 50% of the 1001 cities we track on women aged 20–39. On city-centre rent it is ahead of 40% of 1010. Its weakest measure is safety, ahead of only 16% of 1016.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Zahle sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
Put Zahle on the board
Ratio, cost and visa for Zahle beside every other city we measure. Free, no sign-in.
Open Zahle in the research deskOr unlock the Lebanon deep-dive: visa, tax, scams, and the sub-national map.
Photo: Nassif.seif, Public domain.
Data updated