LebGeeks

specility

Member

Moving to beirut questions

Hey all,

I'm bored in this backwater town and thinking about moving to beirut (still calculating costs and all that).

I am looking for a safe area but not too expensive. I heard furn al chebak and surroundings fit this criteria.

I'm thinking of renting out a small 1-room studio, as in bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen; without roommates. Don't really need anything else.

Where should I be looking? (Everywhere on olx and fb seems to be too expensive). I heard of 100-150 studios in those areas but I can't seem to find anything online about that.

How much should I expect to pay monthly?

What should I be aware of? (Like common scams or things like that before signing a contract)

Got any recommendations? (Like other areas to consider or groups I'm not aware of)

Space

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

I recommend you check/consult r/lebanon (Reddit).

jsaade

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

I recommend you stay out of beirut if you have a good setup to work from outside.In my experience, people in beirut would prefer to live out of it if possible. if there is the infrustructure to do so.

nuclearcat

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

Same here. I moved out of beirut, too much stress, traffic, pollution, crime, expenses, etc etc etc.
The only issue outside of beirut - to find good internet and electricity.

specility

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

Is it really that bad there?

My main problem is that I'm limited in the things I can do and places I can go because of my town location (mentioned more details in a previous post titled "recommendations for things to do" or so).
Short version: I work remotely + lack of transportation (and large distance) + not actually growing up in this town = almost 0 social life = life almost entirely within 4 walls.

I see a lot of fun things online like different classes (such as cooking/music/etc) or youth groups (as in groups of young people having common hobby or interest such as toastmasters or aura board games).

Especially since everything seems to take place during the weekdays, which makes it harder to do stuff after work given my distance.

My current weekday life is literally (aside from time with the fam):
1) work
2) gym
3) time wasted online
4) sleep
5) repeat

I thought that moving to beirut would help me rectify this issue.  (Plus, being close to the office in case they decide to bring us back to on-site; There have been talks about this but nothing confirmed yet)

If Beirut isn't recommended where do y'all recommend I go? What should I do?

Last edited by specility (May 28)

scorz

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

I've been living in Beirut my whole life, specifically in Ain El Remmaneh (Which is a half- Municipality of Furn Al Chebbak, half Chiah),
I have a big list of Pros but I'll start with the Cons:

1- The Obvious: It's a front - جبهة - No one knows if/when a mini-war erupts (or even a bigger one like 1975).
2- Traffic:  BUT acceptable.
3- Pollution: So many antennas, sometimes it gets loud.
4- Rent is expensive.
5- People here are friendly, but they are short-tempered and trust me, you don't want to get on their bad side.

Pros:
1- Everything is within walking distance, and it's almost all flat
    1-1: Supermarkets: Dozens of supermarkets and a huge collection of stuff: You can go to Spinneys to buy caviar, Gouda,   Bordeaux/Alzase wine, and when walking back, stop at another mini-market and buy لبنة معزي وزعتر بلدي
    1-2: Restaurants: Also a big variety from High-end to your everyday mainstream Lebanese snack,
    1-3: Bakeries, Pastries. (Also a big variety to choose from) فران مناقيش وصاج  you may even find Tannour.
    1-4: Butchers: You can find local cow meats, sheep, and porks (there were one time Goats, not sure if there are now)
    1-5: Groceries: There are all local fruits/vegetables and you can find some exotic stuff also
    1-6: Nightlife: Badaro is within 10-12 minutes of walking distance, 1-5 minutes car drive.
    1-7: Sports stuff: Many gyms, local stadium you can rent for football/Basket/Tennis/etc
    1-8: Hospitals: At least 3 you can easily walk to/reach in case of emergency. (Also many vets)
    1-9: Schools: Many, and some universities (Sagesse, LU).
    1-10: And finally, well you can find almost every kind of service/Car repairs/Electronics, and not that it matters now but all major banks have many branches you can easily walk to.
This is not shouting, but because it's the main reason to consider living here: Everything is within walking distance, you don't even need a car to live here.

2- The town is in the middle of Beirut geographically. (Not an expert but you can take a look at the map and judge), and everywhere else is within a 1 or 2 "service" maximum.

3- There are many buildings that have their own well + we don't have "a lot" of water-related issues.

4- Electricity is 24/7 (Not gov of course) but almost all private generator dudes have 24/7 - There are exceptions though so ask before you install any line.

5- Ogero internet is good enough, and cell phone coverage is also good.

So briefly: It's just busy city life and the most important thing is you can get anything you want without being stuck in traffic or even paying for transportation.

specility

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

Yeah, city life sounds more interesting than town life for me in my age and situation.

I found a few listings that seem decent in achrafieh and mansourieh but I'm not sure about safety in those areas. (My budget is like 250-400$ all inclusive, rent + utilities + whatever fees).

I've literally never heard about mansourieh before now, so I'm not sure about it.

I'm avoiding areas like da7ye and chiyah for the obvious reason (avoiding the mini-wars). But at the same time I'm not looking for super expensive areas like hamra or Clemenceau or mar mkhayel (unless I find a good deal).

Any idea about good areas to move to? (Safety and transportation are the biggest factors)

jsaade

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

After 35-40, that 5 items schedule seems amazing.
If you are younger, then yes probably worth moving for more things to do.
I want less things to do.

Is it really that bad there?

My main problem is that I'm limited in the things I can do and places I can go because of my town location (mentioned more details in a previous post titled "recommendations for things to do" or so).
Short version: I work remotely + lack of transportation (and large distance) + not actually growing up in this town = almost 0 social life = life almost entirely within 4 walls.

I see a lot of fun things online like different classes (such as cooking/music/etc) or youth groups (as in groups of young people having common hobby or interest such as toastmasters or aura board games).

Especially since everything seems to take place during the weekdays, which makes it harder to do stuff after work given my distance.

My current weekday life is literally (aside from time with the fam):
1) work
2) gym
3) time wasted online
4) sleep
5) repeat

I thought that moving to beirut would help me rectify this issue.  (Plus, being close to the office in case they decide to bring us back to on-site; There have been talks about this but nothing confirmed yet)

If Beirut isn't recommended where do y'all recommend I go? What should I do?

specility

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

Yeah I'm in my mid 20s

GeorgeN

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

Yeah, city life sounds more interesting than town life for me in my age and situation.

I found a few listings that seem decent in achrafieh and mansourieh but I'm not sure about safety in those areas. (My budget is like 250-400$ all inclusive, rent + utilities + whatever fees).

I've literally never heard about mansourieh before now, so I'm not sure about it.

I'm avoiding areas like da7ye and chiyah for the obvious reason (avoiding the mini-wars). But at the same time I'm not looking for super expensive areas like hamra or Clemenceau or mar mkhayel (unless I find a good deal).

Any idea about good areas to move to? (Safety and transportation are the biggest factors)

I'm in mansourieh. It's a very safe and quiet area to live in if you value peace of mind. A lot of things are in walking distance if you find a good location. Gym, market, food, starbucks, dunkin, sushi, sandwich w noss, malak al tawouk, etc. It never gets busy or crowded anywhere. The downside is it is a bit far from beirut. If you're commuting to work at the usual times (8 am -> 5 pm) you might get stuck in a bit of traffic but it's VERY minor compared to beirut. Not much nightlife here either if you like clubbing and whatnot.

rolf

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

It's hard to find $100-150 online in any fancy area. Even on the ground would be challenging. Maybe if you try around Burj Hammoud, Nabaa, or other poorer areas in Beirut (Dahieh?). You can probably find for this price. These areas may be overpopulated and loud and the buildings in bad condition.

If you want someone to take you on a little tour of Burj Hammoud let me know, maybe I can be free some Sunday show you around.

Last edited by rolf (July 6)

rolf

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

This is not shouting, but because it's the main reason to consider living here: Everything is within walking distance, you don't even need a car to live here.

This is great, sounds like a good place to have a bicycle.

4- Electricity is 24/7 (Not gov of course) but almost all private generator dudes have 24/7 - There are exceptions though so ask before you install any line.

24/7 pollution, yay!
Now even if you open the window at 4 AM you can hear the generator humming.

Last edited by rolf (July 6)

Salloum

Member

Re: Moving to beirut questions

Honestly, I wouldn't move to Beirut with the current situation. For me the ideal living arrangements would be to live relatively close to Beirut (20-30min away) in a calm, peaceful area. I lived in Beirut most of my life but I am originally from Abadieh (village close to Aley) and my parents have recently relocated to live there fulltime. I stay there when I visit Lebanon and I absolutely love how nice, calm and beautiful it is, while being a 25 minute car ride away from Beirut. Personally I see this as the ideal set up. Just my 2¢