Just Landed in Lebanon? Your First 7 Days

Mobile data is the practical way to stay online given unreliable fixed lines and constant power cuts, which knock out home routers whenever the generator switches. Coverage from both operators is good across Beirut and the coast and reasonable in the mountains, though tariffs are high and repriced in US dollars. Many people keep a power bank charged specifically to ride out the daily generator gaps without losing connectivity.

Typical cost: A starter SIM costs about USD 12-13; prepaid data bundles of roughly 10 GB run USD 10-25 per month depending on the allowance and validity period.

Lebanon effectively runs on US dollar cash. Prices are often quoted in USD as 'fresh dollars', while the LBP (Lebanese pound) rate stabilised in 2023-2024 at around 89,500 to the dollar after years of freefall, so always confirm which currency and rate applies before you pay. Exchanges and many shops now use this market rate rather than the abandoned old official peg.

Opening an account: Local banks remain crippled by informal capital controls, and even Lebanese depositors cannot freely withdraw their pre-2019 savings, so opening a resident account brings little benefit for most newcomers. Keep your foreign account and rely on a Wise or Revolut card for spending and for topping up cash from ATMs when you travel abroad. Domestic ATMs are unreliable and may dispense LBP at unfavourable rates.

Cash: Cash is king and card acceptance is limited and unpredictable, even in Beirut. Carry small, clean USD notes and expect to pay rent, deposits, generator bills and most day-to-day costs in physical dollars. Keep a stock of small notes, since change in fresh dollars can be scarce and vendors may otherwise give change in LBP.

Tipping: Restaurants usually add a service charge of around 10 percent, and leaving a little extra in cash is customary and appreciated given the crisis. Tip valets, petrol attendants, generator collectors and delivery riders small amounts in USD or LBP. A dollar or two goes a long way and is genuinely valued.

Lebanon has no simple municipal address registration as exists in much of Europe; instead, foreigners staying beyond a short tourist entry must obtain a residence permit through General Security (Sûreté Générale, Al-Amn Al-Aam). Residency is normally tied to a work permit, marriage to a Lebanese national, property ownership or study enrolment, and is typically valid for one year at a time. Employees usually apply within three months of arrival once a work permit is in place. In practice almost everyone files through an employer's HR department or a local lawyer, because the process is document-heavy and bureaucratic.

Deadline: Apply for or renew residency before your entry stamp or current permit expires to avoid overstay fines, which accrue per day.

Where: General Security (Sûreté Générale) offices; most people file through an employer's HR team or a local lawyer who handles the paperwork on their behalf.

There is no metro or reliable public rail, so people rely on shared 'service' taxis, private taxis, ride-hailing apps and cheap informal minibuses that run set coastal routes. Traffic is heavy, lane discipline is loose and driving is assertive, so many newcomers avoid driving at first. A modest state bus network exists but is limited and hard to decode without local help.

From the airport: From Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY), roughly 9 km south of the centre, a pre-booked car or a Bolt into central Beirut costs about USD 15-25 and takes 20-40 minutes depending on traffic. Agree the fare and currency before setting off if you use a kerbside taxi, since drivers there often quote inflated flat rates to arrivals.

Beirut rentals are dollarised and negotiated in cash, with many quoted in fresh USD and paid month to month or in a few months' blocks. Use local agents (simsar), Facebook groups and word of mouth, since there is no single dominant listings portal and the best flats move through personal networks. Furnished flats are common in Achrafieh, Hamra, Mar Mikhael, Gemmayze and Badaro, and generator backing is a key selling point worth confirming in writing.

Typical rent: A one-bedroom flat in Beirut typically runs USD 550-900 per month, more for newer generator-backed buildings and less outside the centre or in the coastal suburbs.

Deposit norm: Landlords usually ask for one to three months' rent upfront in cash, plus the first month, and a signed contract is essential to protect a cash deposit.

Private hospitals in Beirut, such as the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) and Hôtel-Dieu de France, offer high-quality care that many in the region travel for, but the public system is weak and the crisis has driven medicine shortages and the emigration of thousands of doctors and nurses. Care is pay-first, and even routine treatment can be costly in dollars.

How to access it: Go directly to a private hospital emergency department or a clinic and expect to pay upfront in cash or by card, then reclaim from insurance afterwards. Pharmacies are widespread and pharmacists can advise on minor issues, though some imported medicines can be intermittently unavailable, so bring a personal supply of anything essential.

Insurance: Comprehensive international health insurance with medical evacuation cover is strongly advised, since local public cover does not extend to foreigners and serious care abroad may be needed if a specialist treatment is unavailable. Keep your policy details on your phone and know which hospitals your insurer works with directly.

• Greetings matter: a handshake, or cheek kisses among friends and family, and a little French or Arabic ('marhaba', 'merci', 'shukran') go a long way.
• Dress smartly in Beirut, where appearance is noticed, but cover shoulders and knees when visiting religious sites or more conservative areas outside the capital.
• Hospitality is generous and central; accept offered coffee, food or a lift graciously, and reciprocate invitations when you can.
• Expect to be offered food repeatedly and to have your protests overruled; a polite second helping is part of the ritual.
• Punctuality is relaxed socially, so a dinner invitation rarely means the stated hour, but be on time for business and official appointments.
• Use your right hand for giving and receiving, and remove shoes when entering many homes if you see others doing so.
• Sectarian and political topics are sensitive; listen more than you opine, especially in your first months and across mixed company.

• Avoid the southern border region, Palestinian refugee camps and Beirut's southern suburbs (Dahiyeh), where the security situation can change quickly.
• Photographing military positions, checkpoints, security personnel or government buildings can get you stopped or detained.
• Confirm the currency and exchange rate before agreeing any price, since a figure quoted in pounds versus fresh dollars is a very different amount.
• Be cautious discussing Israel, Hezbollah or specific sects with people you do not know well, as views are strongly held and locally sensitive.
• Keep abreast of the news, as fuel shortages, protests or cross-border tension can disrupt roads, flights and services with little warning.