1. Home
2. Economy
3. No Rental Car in Sight! Lebanon’s Cars Are Fully Booked

This summer, Lebanon’s car rental agencies are running at full capacity: the massive return of expatriates has literally emptied parking lots overnight.

Lebanon is in rental saturation mode. Bad luck for latecomers: this summer, finding a rental car in Lebanon is nothing short of a miracle. With the rush of returning expats, agencies are fully booked and every set of keys is already in someone’s hand. Between traffic jams, soaring prices and empty apps, Lebanon is on the move.

There are about 245 car rental agencies across the country. The exact number of available vehicles is not officially known, but major agencies in Beirut alone operate more than 1,800 cars. These get snatched up quickly by demanding (and often rushed) expatriates. In fact, rental cars are almost exclusively booked by Lebanese returning from abroad.

The car rental market is booming and is expected to generate around $109 million regionally by 2025, with a 1.9% annual growth rate, according to Statista. As for Lebanon specifically, no official data exists.

Rental Cost?

According to online platforms, an economy car averages $50/day, a mid-size model about $60/day and a premium vehicle can reach $100/day. Locals interviewed by This Is Beirut confirm rates ranging from $30 to $60/day, depending on model and rental duration. Promotional deals sometimes drop to $20–25/day and are booked within hours. Prices are noticeably higher than in other regional destinations like Dubai or Riyadh. The average rental duration in Lebanon is 12 days.

Why Shortage?

“Demand is exploding,” a car rental agency owner told This Is Beirut. “Expats are flooding back for vacations or family events like weddings and engagements. Supply just can’t keep up: you can’t expand a rental fleet overnight. There’s no low-cost option, no cheap-rent-me packages. Prices stay high even for early bookings.”

He added that with Lebanon’s ongoing crises, agencies are not rushing to buy new cars either.

So, if you’re planning to rent a car in Lebanon, book well in advance or consider hiring a private driver for around $60/day. Less stressful, and often easier to find.

In Lebanon, Summer 2025 is all drive… No ride! Local supply is swallowed up by expat demand. Agencies are thriving, but tourists? Many are heading elsewhere… for now.