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: $2,822 in Dubai versus $1,682 in Beirut.

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

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

Living in Dubai is roughly 68% more expensive than in Beirut, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.95 AED 47.55

$12.10 LBP 1.1M

7.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 AED 296

$64.8 LBP 5.8M

24.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 AED 34.63

$9.83 LBP 879.6K

-4.07%

Cappuccino

$6.16 AED 22.62

$4.77 LBP 426.8K

29.14%

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

$1.69 AED 6.22

$2.38 LBP 212.6K

-28.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 AED 2.87

$0.83 LBP 74.5K

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.45 AED 49.38

$5.10 LBP 456.4K

163.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.65 AED 50.1

$5.02 LBP 449.5K

171.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 AED 6.51

$1.97 LBP 176.0K

-10.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$0.82 LBP 73.8K

89.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 AED 9.40

$2.24 LBP 200.8K

14.29%

Eggs

$3.22 AED 11.84

$3.60 LBP 321.8K

-10.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 AED 46.17

$13.60 LBP 1.2M

-7.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.64 AED 35.39

$10.73 LBP 960.6K

-10.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 AED 49.17

$13.89 LBP 1.2M

-3.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 AED 9.79

$3.15 LBP 281.7K

-15.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 AED 7.06

$1.72 LBP 153.8K

11.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.79

$1.64 LBP 146.7K

12.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 AED 5.04

$1.48 LBP 132.8K

-7.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 AED 4.21

$1.35 LBP 120.9K

-14.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$1.65 LBP 148.1K

-39.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 AED 5.50

$1.16 LBP 103.7K

29.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.50

$0.69 LBP 62.2K

-1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 AED 21.71

$3.03 LBP 271.1K

95.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.16 AED 59.4

$10.18 LBP 911.1K

58.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 AED 10.19

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

118.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 AED 12.01

$2.59 LBP 231.4K

26.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.13

$2.24 LBP 200.4K

-25.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 AED 248

$78.1 LBP 7.0M

-13.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 AED 12.29

$4.98 LBP 445.6K

-32.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 AED 2.46

$2.24 LBP 200.1K

-70.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 AED 30.34

$22.48 LBP 2.0M

-63.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 AED 3.56

$1.00 LBP 89.8K

-3.00%

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

$27.4K AED 100.8K

$52.7K LBP 4.7B

-47.88%

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

$22.0K AED 80.8K

$32.8K LBP 2.9B

-32.87%

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

$250 AED 920

$226 LBP 20.2M

10.91%

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

$53.7 AED 197

$23.30 LBP 2.1M

130.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.2 AED 349

$37.27 LBP 3.3M

155.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.8 AED 356

$82.7 LBP 7.4M

17.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.40 AED 167

$33.94 LBP 3.0M

33.77%

Cinema Ticket

$16.56 AED 60.8

$9.99 LBP 894.0K

65.77%

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

$844 AED 3,099

$675 LBP 60.4M

25.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K AED 66.9K

$10.6K LBP 945.1M

72.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 AED 274

$67.9 LBP 6.1M

9.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 AED 213

$50.2 LBP 4.5M

15.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 AED 375

$135 LBP 12.1M

-24.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 AED 368

$121 LBP 10.8M

-17.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 AED 9,290

$943 LBP 84.4M

168.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 AED 5,599

$503 LBP 45.0M

203.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,580 AED 16.8K

$2,169 LBP 194.1M

111.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,050 AED 11.2K

$1,081 LBP 96.7M

182.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,071 AED 26.0K

$3,995 LBP 357.5M

77.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,971 AED 14.6K

$1,813 LBP 162.3M

119.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,440 AED 12.6K

$735 LBP 65.8M

367.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

-58.73%

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

Last update for Dubai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Beirut: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,530 in Dubai and $943 in Beirut. 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: $81.0 in Dubai vs $65.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $280 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 Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 368% 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: $2,530 in Dubai versus $943 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,822 per month in Dubai versus $1,682 in Beirut – 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, 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 68% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.