Achrafieh or Ras Beirut: which is better for living and for value?

Key facts#

Achrafieh, new builds (JSK, Q3 2025)

USD 2,800-4,000 per m² (new builds)^[1]

Achrafieh, older flats (JSK, Q3 2025)

USD 2,000-2,500 per m² up to 25 years old; USD 1,000-1,500 in 1960s buildings^[1]

Ras Beirut (JSK, Q3 2025)

USD 2,000-4,500 per m²; yield 3.5-5%^[1]

Spread across Beirut (The Beiruter, January 2026)

above USD 6,800/m² (Zaituna Bay, Marina); below USD 1,700/m² (Karakol el-Druze, Mazraa)^[3]

Beirut price rise, 2024-2025 (R.E.A.L)

+32.83%^[3]

Achrafieh rental yield

Not published

Recorded sale prices by neighbourhood

Not published

How to check a flat in either area#

1. 1
   Get the property's identifiers from the seller. To request a Land Registry certificate you need the governorate, district, real estate zone, property number, section and block^[6,7]. For a flat, ask for the section and block numbers where they apply; the notary can confirm which numbers identify your unit.
2. 2
   Request the extract yourself. The official certificate is requested in person at the land registry office for the property's area^[7,8]. We found no published list of which office covers which part of Beirut, so ask the notary (kateb adel) handling the sale. From abroad, someone can ask an OMT agent for a copy instead, giving the governorate, district, real estate zone, property number, section and block, plus a mobile number and email^[6,7]. Ask the notary whether a copy is enough for the sale. This page does not give the cost; see how to get a Land Registry extract.
3. 3
   Read who owns it and what weighs on it. The extract (ifadeh aqariyeh) lists the owners and their shares. It also shows mortgages, seizures, other charges and pending court actions^[7,9]. Kallas, a law firm, says every charge on the folio passes to the buyer unless it is cleared before the purchase^[10].
4. 4
   Have the building looked at, especially if it is old. Law 646/2004 requires the owner to keep the building maintained, stable and sound. When needed, or when the municipality asks, the owner must commission an engineer's report^[11]. Ask the seller whether such a report exists, and read about a structural check before buying.
5. 5
   Compare the price with the ranges, not the advert. Treat the ranges above as a rough starting point. For a figure on one specific flat, ask an independent valuer. This page does not cover what a valuation costs.

It depends on#

• Your budget and the building's age. JSK's Achrafieh ranges fall steeply with building age^[1]. Ask the seller the year of construction and confirm it with the engineer who inspects the building.
• Whether you will rent it out. Only Ras Beirut has a published yield figure, and it comes from one agency^[1]. Ask local letting agents in each area for recent rents on comparable flats.
• Whether you need a car. JSK lists scarce parking as a Ras Beirut drawback^[1,5]. Ask the notary whether a parking space is part of what you are buying.
• Your passport. A foreigner may own up to 3,000 m²^[12,13,14] in total without a licence, and foreign ownership in Beirut is capped at 10% of the city's surface. See whether foreigners can buy property in Lebanon.
• How old the figures are. The JSK ranges are from September 2025^[1]. Ask any broker you use for asking and closing prices from the last few months in the same building or street.

Common questions#