Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Dubai Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Dubai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Beirut versus $2,822 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,685 in Beirut versus $4,416 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,688 in Beirut versus $6,010 in Dubai.

Living in Beirut costs roughly 40% less than in Dubai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 22% above, Dubai 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.10 LBP 1.1M

$12.95 AED 47.55

-6.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 LBP 5.8M

$80.6 AED 296

-19.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 LBP 879.6K

$9.43 AED 34.63

4.24%

Cappuccino

$4.77 LBP 426.8K

$6.16 AED 22.62

-22.56%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 LBP 212.6K

$1.69 AED 6.22

40.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 LBP 74.5K

$0.78 AED 2.87

6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 LBP 456.4K

$13.45 AED 49.38

-62.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 LBP 449.5K

$13.65 AED 50.1

-63.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 LBP 176.0K

$1.77 AED 6.51

11.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 LBP 73.8K

$1.55 AED 5.69

-47.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 LBP 200.8K

$2.56 AED 9.40

-12.50%

Eggs

$3.60 LBP 321.8K

$3.22 AED 11.84

11.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 LBP 1.2M

$12.57 AED 46.17

8.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 LBP 960.6K

$9.64 AED 35.39

11.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 LBP 1.2M

$13.39 AED 49.17

3.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 LBP 281.7K

$2.67 AED 9.79

17.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 LBP 153.8K

$1.92 AED 7.06

-10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 LBP 146.7K

$1.85 AED 6.79

-11.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 LBP 132.8K

$1.37 AED 5.04

8.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 LBP 120.9K

$1.15 AED 4.21

17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 LBP 148.1K

$1.00 AED 3.67

65.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LBP 103.7K

$1.50 AED 5.50

-22.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LBP 62.2K

$0.68 AED 2.50

1.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 LBP 271.1K

$5.91 AED 21.71

-48.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 LBP 911.1K

$16.16 AED 59.4

-37.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

$2.77 AED 10.19

-54.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 LBP 231.4K

$3.27 AED 12.01

-20.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 LBP 200.4K

$1.67 AED 6.13

34.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.1 LBP 7.0M

$67.5 AED 248

15.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 LBP 445.6K

$3.35 AED 12.29

48.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 LBP 200.1K

$0.67 AED 2.46

234.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.48 LBP 2.0M

$8.26 AED 30.34

172.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.8K

$0.97 AED 3.56

3.09%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$52.7K LBP 4.7B

$27.4K AED 100.8K

91.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.8K LBP 2.9B

$22.0K AED 80.8K

48.96%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$226 LBP 20.2M

$250 AED 920

-9.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.30 LBP 2.1M

$53.7 AED 197

-56.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.27 LBP 3.3M

$95.2 AED 350

-60.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.7 LBP 7.4M

$96.8 AED 356

-14.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.94 LBP 3.0M

$45.40 AED 167

-25.24%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 LBP 894.0K

$16.56 AED 60.8

-39.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$675 LBP 60.4M

$844 AED 3,100

-20.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K LBP 945.1M

$18.2K AED 66.9K

-42.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 LBP 6.1M

$74.5 AED 274

-8.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 LBP 4.5M

$58.1 AED 213

-13.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 LBP 12.1M

$102 AED 375

32.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 LBP 10.8M

$100 AED 368

20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 LBP 84.4M

$2,530 AED 9,291

-62.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 LBP 45.0M

$1,525 AED 5,599

-67.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 LBP 194.1M

$4,580 AED 16.8K

-52.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 LBP 96.7M

$3,050 AED 11.2K

-64.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 LBP 357.5M

$7,071 AED 26.0K

-43.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,813 LBP 162.3M

$3,971 AED 14.6K

-54.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 LBP 65.8M

$3,440 AED 12.6K

-78.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

142.29%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Beirut: August 30, 2026

Last update for Dubai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $943 in Beirut and $2,530 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 368% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Beirut vs $81.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $280 vs $294 per month, with Beirut cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Beirut vs Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beirut is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 368% lower in Dubai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $943 in Beirut versus $2,530 in Dubai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Beirut versus $2,822 in Dubai – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Beirut runs roughly 16% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,682 in Beirut versus $2,822 in Dubai, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Beirut but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Beirut the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Beirut is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dubai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Beirut and Dubai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Beirut gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.