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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,832 in Dubai versus $1,390 in Beirut.

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

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

Living in Dubai is roughly 104% more expensive than in Beirut, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 112% above, Beirut 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 AED 39.52

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

1.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 AED 295

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

34.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 AED 35.87

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

24.62%

Cappuccino

$5.76 AED 21.15

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

73.49%

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

$1.19 AED 4.37

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

-24.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 AED 3.31

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.10 AED 44.45

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

247.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.64 AED 50.1

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

175.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 AED 7.20

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

10.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 AED 5.25

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

81.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 AED 8.00

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

19.78%

Eggs

$3.41 AED 12.54

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 AED 37.01

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

-9.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 AED 33.82

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

-1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 AED 46.59

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

10.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 AED 8.66

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

35.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 AED 7.15

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 AED 6.86

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

64.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.67

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

46.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 AED 4.35

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

19.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

21.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 AED 5.13

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 AED 2.41

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 AED 24.64

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

166.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 AED 61.1

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

63.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

102.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 AED 13.06

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

67.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 AED 6.06

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

-16.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 AED 306

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

17.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 AED 11.76

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

-35.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 AED 2.97

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

-35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 AED 29.62

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

-59.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.75

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

-19.35%

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

$32.6K AED 119.9K

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

-6.35%

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

$22.9K AED 84.0K

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-18.27%

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

$215 AED 789

$217 LBP 19.4M

-0.97%

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

$61.8 AED 227

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

65.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 375

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

174.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 AED 319

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

27.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.46 AED 171

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

56.64%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 AED 55.9

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

94.51%

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

$851 AED 3,126

$305 LBP 27.3M

179.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K AED 51.5K

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

210.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 AED 302

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

18.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 AED 228

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 AED 418

$121 LBP 10.9M

-6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 439

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

26.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 AED 9,051

$789 LBP 70.6M

212.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 AED 5,751

$376 LBP 33.7M

316.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,655 AED 17.1K

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

137.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,950 AED 10.8K

$970 LBP 86.8M

204.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,113 AED 26.1K

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

80.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 AED 15.1K

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

110.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,390 AED 12.4K

$715 LBP 64.0M

374.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

11.16

-59.77%

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

Last update for Dubai: July 14, 2026

Last update for Beirut: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,465 in Dubai and $789 in Beirut. 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: $80.0 in Dubai vs $60.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $282 vs $233 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

Dubai vs Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beirut is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 374% higher in Dubai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,465 in Dubai versus $789 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,832 per month in Dubai versus $1,390 in Beirut – 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, Dubai and Beirut 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.