Moving to United States from Libya

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Libya to United States? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Libya to United States, you would find that United States is 5.7 times more expensive than Libya overall. A LYD480,000 salary in Libya would need to be roughly $423,000 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — New York City averages 62°F vs 78°F in Tripoli, making it significantly cooler.

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Is United States cheaper than Libya?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 6.3 times more

Groceries

pay 3.6 times more

Transportation

pay 5.9 times more

Housing

pay 7.5 times more

Childcare

pay 27.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.3 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 LYD = 0.1555 USD (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in United States?

What does your salary buy?

LYD480,000 → $423,000

To maintain the same standard of living in United States

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to United States

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Libya to United States.

Moved in 2023
690 ↑ 20% vs 2022

people moved from Libya to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in United States compared to Libya.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LY
34.0
US
14.2

United States performs significantly better than Libya across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LY
$1,055
US
$13,473
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LY
20.4
US
36.8

Libya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

LY
54.0
US
14.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LY
8.7t
US
13.6t

Libya generally does better on environment, though United States leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LY
4.5
US
38.9
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LY
817.1%
US
28.2%

United States performs significantly better than Libya across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

LY
18.8%
US
4.2%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

LY
$6,449
US
$90,027

United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Libya leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

LY
71.1 yrs
US
78.9 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LY
7.9
US
5.5

United States performs significantly better than Libya across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance (2016), Internal Revenue Service (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in United States vs Libya

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tripoli Rain: 13.1 in/yr (334 mm)
78° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

New York City Rain: 49.9 in/yr (1268 mm)
62° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tripoli New York City
Jan–Mar 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 81°/62°F (27°/17°C) 70°/54°F (21°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) 81°/66°F (27°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 74°/57°F (23°/14°C) 54°/41°F (12°/5°C)
View all months
Month Tripoli New York City
Jan 64°/48°F (17.9°/8.9°C) 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C)
Feb 66°/49°F (19.1°/9.5°C) 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C)
Mar 69°/52°F (20.7°/11.2°C) 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C)
Apr 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.7°C) 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C)
May 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.7°C) 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C)
Jun 87°/68°F (30.4°/20.1°C) 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C)
Jul 89°/71°F (31.7°/21.7°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C)
Aug 91°/73°F (32.6°/22.7°C) 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C)
Sep 88°/71°F (31.0°/21.4°C) 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C)
Oct 82°/64°F (27.7°/18.0°C) 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C)
Nov 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C)
Dec 67°/50°F (19.3°/9.9°C) 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Can you move from Libya to United States?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Libya and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Libya passport

Libya passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Libya passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Libya

Visa Required
United States passport holders need a visa to enter Libya.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in United States than Libya?

On average United States is around 467% pricier than Libya, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to United States?

Budget about $105,750 for 3 months in United States (based on a LYD480,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United States?

Connectivity is usually fine (United States: 38.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United States offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is United States safe for expats?

United States performs significantly better than Libya across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in United States compared to Libya?

Libya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.8 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 20.4 in Libya. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Libya: 62).

What's the weather like in United States compared to Libya?

The average high temperature in New York City is 62°F, compared to 78°F in Tripoli. New York City receives around 49.9 in of rainfall per year, while Tripoli gets 13.1 in.

What language do they speak in United States?

The official language in United States is English. In Libya, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

LY US
Population 7,458,555 341,784,857
Currency Libyan Dinar (LYD) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Arabic English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +218 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number — 911