Lebanon cost of living 2026

The 272% figure is a broad price-level comparison, not a student budget. It shows how expensive a general basket of goods and services is relative to the United States, but it does not break out what you would pay for housing, meals, transport, tuition, or visas.

For a student, the most important takeaway is that ordinary day-to-day costs can weigh heavily against a typical budget. Because the comparison is not itemized, the main pressure points are the costs you pay most often and the larger fixed costs you must cover before classes begin.

Lebanon has 24 universities, including American University of Beirut, Arts, Sciences and Technology University, American University of Science and Technology, American University College of Technology, Balamand University, and Beirut Arab University. The price-level comparison gives a rough sense of affordability across the country, but not the cost at any one university.

Lebanon’s GDP per capita, adjusted for purchasing power, is USD 11,600. For a student deciding whether to move, that makes it especially important to compare the overall price level with the support you expect to have, since the biggest budget shifts come from recurring expenses and any costs that must be paid upfront.