How much will I pay per month for electricity in a Beirut apartment?
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Short answer
It depends on three things: how many hours EDL supplies, your generator amperage, and whether your generator is metered. There is no typical figure. One Beirut-area household reported USD 140 a month (EDL USD 60 + generator USD 80)[1] in October 2026. For the generator alone, one commercial expat guide says USD 50-100 a month, while people The National interviewed in August 2026 paid a median of USD 310[2][3].
Also asked as: “Electricity bill in Lebanon” · “How much does electricity cost in Lebanon?” · “Monthly EDL and generator bill in Beirut” · “How much is a generator bill per month in Beirut?”
Key facts
- EDL tariff (reported April 2026)
- USD 0.10 per kWh for the first 100 kWh, USD 0.27 per kWh above[6]
- Generator price per kWh (September 2026)
- LL52,840 per kWh (cities, below 700 m); LL58,124 (villages, above 700 m)[1,4]
- Generator fixed monthly part (September 2026)
- LL385,000 (5 A), LL685,000 (10 A), +LL300,000 per extra 5 A[4]
- One household's total (October 2026)
- USD 140 a month (EDL USD 60 + generator USD 80)[1]
- Generator bills reported
- USD 50-100 a month (one commercial guide) to a USD 310 median (The National, August 2026)[2][3]
- Who supplies Lebanon's power
- generators 50%, EDL 31% (early 2026)[2]
Why you pay two electricity bills
Many Beirut flats pay two bills. One goes to Electricité du Liban (EDL), the state utility. The other goes to a private generator that covers the hours EDL does not. According to LCEC figures reported by The National, generators supplied more of Lebanon's electricity than EDL did at the start of 2026: generators 50%, EDL 31% (early 2026)[2].
In mid-October 2026, Al-Modon reported EDL supply of 2 to 4 hours a day (October 2026)[1,5], mainly because high oil prices cut the fuel EDL could buy. The fewer EDL hours you get, the more you lean on the generator, and the bigger that bill gets. Supply varies by day and by area, and we found no official figure by neighbourhood. More in how many hours of state electricity Lebanon gets.
The EDL bill
Lebanon24 reported on 1 April 2026 that EDL said its tariff was unchanged: USD 0.10 per kWh for the first 100 kWh, USD 0.27 per kWh above[6]. That report does not say whether the 100 kWh are counted per month, and it does not mention any fixed or subscription charge. We found no published figure for EDL's fixed charges.
Before you rely on the April 2026 rates, check the current tariff on EDL's own website or at an EDL customer office[6]. A demand to raise the tariff was before the Council of Ministers on 14 October 2026[5]. If you are abroad, ask the landlord or seller to show you a recent EDL bill so you can see what it includes. The detail is in what EDL electricity costs per kWh.
The generator bill
On paper, a metered generator bill has two parts: a fixed monthly amount set by your amperage, plus each kWh you use times the official price[4]. For September 2026 the fixed part was LL385,000 (5 A), LL685,000 (10 A), +LL300,000 per extra 5 A. A Beirut flat falls under the city price of LBP 52,840 per kWh[1,4]. The ministry used a rate of LBP 89,700 per USD that month, which makes that about USD 0.59 per kWh. Check the current month's figures in the official generator tariff this month.
In practice, many operators ignore this. Meters are mandatory under a Ministry of Economy and Trade decision[2,4]. Even so, The National reported in October 2026 that many operators charge a flat monthly rate by amperage instead, and many neither follow the tariff nor install meters[2]. The same paper said official tariffs rose almost 60% in six months. At the top end, a 25-amp subscription in one Beirut neighbourhood cost up to USD 750 for 25 A (August 2026). See paying by meter or flat ampere rate.
What households report paying
The only full breakdown we found is one Beirut-area household that Al Jazeera interviewed. It got about 4 hours of EDL a day and paid USD 60 to EDL and USD 80 to a generator, so USD 140 a month, about 31% of its USD 447 income[1]. The same household had also spent about USD 3,000 on six solar panels.
Reports on generator bills alone disagree. The National found a median of USD 310 in August 2026 among about a dozen people it interviewed, and says bills often pass USD 300[2]. ExpatLife.ai, a commercial guide that cites no source, puts generator subscriptions at USD 50-100 a month and total utilities at USD 100-200[3]. Neither gives the amperage, so the two figures cannot be compared directly. We found no worked example for a typical Beirut flat with stated hours, amperage and kWh.
How to estimate the bill before you rent or buy
- Check the bill against the official tariff. The ministry publishes it every month and National News Agency releases carry it; in October 2026 the ministry's own folder returned an error[7]. Multiply your kWh by the price and add the fixed part for your amperage.
- Ask to see recent EDL bills. EDL will not transfer a meter into your name until old arrears are paid[8]. Agree in writing who settles them.
- Write who pays what into the lease. For post-1992 leases, Adala Law Firm puts municipal fees on the tenant and built-property tax on the landlord, while Jaber Law Firm says the landlord pays taxes and dues unless the contract says otherwise. Neither covers generator bills[9,10]. See who pays utilities in a rented flat.
It depends on
- Your amperage. The official fixed part rises with each extra 5 A[4]. Ask the operator what your flat needs for the appliances you run.
- Meter or flat rate. A flat amperage rate departs from the official metered tariff[2]. Ask for a meter and a written bill.
- Extra charges. Operators may not add maintenance fees, VAT they are not registered for, or a surcharge for solar users[4]. If they do, see what to do if your generator overcharges.
- Solar. Panels can cut generator use, but one household's system cost about USD 3,000 and did not replace EDL or the generator[1].
Common questions
How much is a generator subscription per month in Beirut?
How many hours of EDL electricity does Lebanon get now?
Can my generator owner charge extra for maintenance or VAT?
No. The Energy Ministry says operators may not add maintenance fees, VAT unless they are registered for it, or fees for subscribers who also use solar[4].
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.From the citizen's pocket to the institution's deficit: how Electricité du Liban stumbles
Al Jazeera · 16 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.Lebanon's power failure: Diesel generators, $300-a-month bills - and a corrupt system milking the profits
The National · 14 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.ExpatLife.ai: Renting in Lebanon 2026 (Housing guide)
ExpatLife.ai · 13 Aug 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.Private generator tariff for September 2026
Beirut24 (reproducing National News Agency / Ministry of Energy and Water statement) · 1 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.Electricity crisis: more supply hours await an international consultant's oversight
Al-Modon · 14 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 6.On supply and tariff adjustment, what Electricité du Liban announced
Lebanon24 · 1 Apr 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 7.Ministry of Energy and Water issues the private generator tariff for October 2022
Ministry of Energy and Water (Lebanon) · 27 Oct 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 8.EDL: transfer a subscription to a new subscriber
Electricité du Liban (EDL) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 9.New rent contracts explained
Adala Law Firm · 23 Oct 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 10.Jaber Law Firm: Real Estate in Lebanon (FAQ)
Jaber Law Firm · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- How much does a generator subscription cost per month for 5, 10 or 15 amps?Under the September 2026 tariff, 5 A costs LL385,000 fixed plus LL52,840 per kWh in cities. The formula, 10 and 15 A, real bills and illegal extras.
- How much does EDL electricity cost per kWh now?EDL's last reported tariff: USD 0.10 per kWh for the first 100 kWh, USD 0.27 above (April 2026). A rise was requested. Generator costs and how to check.
- What is the official private generator tariff this month?Latest published tariff (September 2026): LL52,840 per kWh in cities, LL58,124 in villages, plus a fixed fee by amperage. How bills work and how to check.
- How many hours of state electricity does Lebanon get per day now?Reports put EDL supply at 2 to 4 hours a day in October 2026. Why it fell, what could add hours, and how to check a flat's real power supply.
- Should I pay my generator by meter or a flat ampere rate, and is a meter mandatory?Generator meters are mandatory and the official tariff is metered, though many operators charge a flat ampere rate. How the two compare and what to check.
- Who pays electricity, generator, water and internet in a rented flat in Lebanon?No published rule says who pays electricity, generator, water and internet in a rented flat: the lease decides. What to write and how meters change name.
- How much does a solar system cost for an apartment in Lebanon?No price list is published; one household paid about USD 3,000 for 6 panels (Oct 2026). What to compare, roof consent, permits and BDH loans.
- What can I do if my generator owner overcharges or has no meter?Check your bill against the Energy Ministry's monthly tariff, ask for the mandatory meter, refuse banned surcharges. No complaint route is published.
