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: $1,437 in Beirut versus $2,908 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Beirut versus $4,381 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Beirut versus $5,854 in Dubai.

Living in Beirut costs roughly 51% less than in Dubai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 7% above, Dubai 117% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$10.93 AED 40.14

-1.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

$82.7 AED 304

-27.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

$9.44 AED 34.67

-14.83%

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

$5.57 AED 20.46

-41.29%

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

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

$1.25 AED 4.59

26.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

$0.93 AED 3.43

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

$12.04 AED 44.22

-71.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

$13.55 AED 49.78

-62.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$2.00 AED 7.36

-10.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

$1.44 AED 5.29

-40.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

$2.20 AED 8.09

-17.27%

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

$3.46 AED 12.69

-7.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$10.08 AED 37.01

14.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

$9.49 AED 34.87

1.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$12.48 AED 45.84

-8.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

$2.31 AED 8.49

-25.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

$1.89 AED 6.95

-23.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$1.83 AED 6.74

-37.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

$1.49 AED 5.46

-27.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$1.24 AED 4.54

-20.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$1.30 AED 4.78

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

$1.44 AED 5.30

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.70 AED 2.57

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

$6.44 AED 23.66

-61.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

$16.61 AED 61.0

-40.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$2.63 AED 9.65

-52.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

$3.43 AED 12.59

-35.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

$1.64 AED 6.03

19.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

$80.2 AED 295

-11.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

$3.22 AED 11.83

53.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

$0.79 AED 2.89

62.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$8.14 AED 29.91

144.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$0.77 AED 2.83

16.88%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$32.5K AED 119.5K

7.05%

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

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$22.6K AED 83.0K

22.05%

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

$218 LBP 19.5M

$219 AED 803

-0.48%

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

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

$62.0 AED 228

-39.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

$101 AED 371

-63.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

$88.7 AED 326

-22.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

$45.84 AED 168

-34.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

$15.27 AED 56.1

-46.76%

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

$297 LBP 26.6M

$849 AED 3,120

-65.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

$14.1K AED 51.9K

-68.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

$81.0 AED 298

-11.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

$62.9 AED 231

-28.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.8M

$113 AED 416

6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

$120 AED 442

-20.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

$2,450 AED 8,998

-67.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

$1,589 AED 5,838

-76.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

$4,667 AED 17.1K

-56.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 LBP 85.0M

$2,973 AED 10.9K

-68.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

$7,138 AED 26.2K

-48.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

$4,288 AED 15.8K

-53.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 LBP 58.2M

$4,166 AED 15.3K

-84.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

4.49

148.55%

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

Last update for Beirut: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dubai: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $809 in Beirut and $2,450 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 540% 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: $60.0 in Beirut vs $83.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $284 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Dubai earns 540% less. 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: $809 in Beirut versus $2,450 in Dubai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,437 per month in Beirut versus $2,908 in Dubai – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Beirut runs roughly 13% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,437 in Beirut versus $2,908 in Dubai, a $1,500 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 102% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.