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: $1,390 in Beirut versus $2,832 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,293 in Beirut versus $4,340 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,195 in Beirut versus $5,848 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 4% above, Dubai 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

$10.76 AED 39.52

-1.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

$80.4 AED 295

-25.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

$9.77 AED 35.87

-19.75%

Cappuccino

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

$5.76 AED 21.15

-42.36%

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

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

$1.19 AED 4.37

31.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

$0.90 AED 3.31

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

$12.10 AED 44.45

-71.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

$13.64 AED 50.1

-63.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

$1.96 AED 7.20

-9.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

$1.43 AED 5.25

-44.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

$2.18 AED 8.00

-16.51%

Eggs

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

$3.41 AED 12.54

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

$10.08 AED 37.01

9.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

$9.21 AED 33.82

1.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

$12.68 AED 46.59

-9.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

$2.36 AED 8.66

-26.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

$1.95 AED 7.15

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

$1.87 AED 6.86

-39.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

$1.54 AED 5.67

-31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

$1.19 AED 4.35

-15.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$1.26 AED 4.62

-17.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

$1.40 AED 5.13

-36.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

$0.66 AED 2.41

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

$6.71 AED 24.64

-62.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

$16.63 AED 61.1

-38.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

$2.63 AED 9.65

-50.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

$3.56 AED 13.06

-40.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

$1.65 AED 6.06

19.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

$83.2 AED 306

-14.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

$3.20 AED 11.76

54.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

$0.81 AED 2.97

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$8.07 AED 29.62

148.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

$0.75 AED 2.75

24.00%

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

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

$32.6K AED 119.9K

6.78%

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

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$22.9K AED 84.0K

22.36%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$215 AED 789

0.98%

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

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

$61.8 AED 227

-39.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

$102 AED 375

-63.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

$86.9 AED 319

-21.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

$46.46 AED 171

-36.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

$15.23 AED 55.9

-48.59%

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

$305 LBP 27.3M

$851 AED 3,126

-64.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

$14.0K AED 51.5K

-67.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

$82.4 AED 302

-15.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

$62.2 AED 228

-28.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.9M

$114 AED 418

6.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

$120 AED 439

-20.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 LBP 70.6M

$2,465 AED 9,051

-67.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 LBP 33.7M

$1,566 AED 5,751

-75.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

$4,655 AED 17.1K

-57.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 LBP 86.8M

$2,950 AED 10.8K

-67.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

$7,113 AED 26.1K

-44.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

$4,104 AED 15.1K

-52.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 LBP 64.0M

$3,390 AED 12.4K

-78.91%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dubai: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Beirut and $2,465 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 374% 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 $80.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $282 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 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 374% 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: $789 in Beirut versus $2,465 in Dubai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,390 per month in Beirut versus $2,832 in Dubai – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Beirut runs roughly 17% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,390 in Beirut versus $2,832 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 104% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.