Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Khor

For one person, living is cheaper in Khor: $1,540 a month against $2,896 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dubai
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
$2,896
/mo nomad
Khor
🇶🇦 Qatar
$1,540
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dubai and in Khor

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dubai and in Khor actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,896 in Dubai versus $1,540 in Khor.

  • Dubai $2,896
  • Khor $1,540

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,384 in Dubai versus $2,414 in Khor.

  • Dubai $4,384
  • Khor $2,414

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,872 in Dubai versus $3,288 in Khor.

  • Dubai $5,872
  • Khor $3,288

Living in Dubai is roughly 88% more expensive than in Khor, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 115% above, Khor 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dubai
Khor
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.67 AED 46.55
$9.48 QAR 34.50
33.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.7 AED 300
$67.5 QAR 246
21.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.34 AED 34.30
$8.23 QAR 29.94
13.49%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$12.02 QAR 43.77
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$13.66 QAR 49.71
-
Cappuccino
$5.89 AED 21.62
$5.76 QAR 20.96
2.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 AED 6.20
$0.93 QAR 3.39
81.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 AED 2.86
$0.40 QAR 1.47
95.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.66 AED 50.2
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.49 AED 49.54
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dubai
Khor
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.84 AED 6.78
$2.08 QAR 7.56
-11.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 AED 5.50
$1.41 QAR 5.14
6.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.57 AED 9.45
$1.94 QAR 7.05
32.47%
Eggs
$3.32 AED 12.18
$1.72 QAR 6.25
93.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.60 AED 46.28
$11.35 QAR 41.30
11.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.66 AED 35.46
$7.02 QAR 25.57
37.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.78 AED 46.93
$11.29 QAR 41.11
13.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 AED 9.54
$2.18 QAR 7.95
19.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 AED 6.99
$1.86 QAR 6.78
2.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 AED 7.02
$1.58 QAR 5.77
20.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 AED 5.02
$1.06 QAR 3.87
29.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 AED 4.14
$0.94 QAR 3.42
20.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 AED 3.71
$0.84 QAR 3.07
20.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 AED 5.30
$0.66 QAR 2.39
118.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 AED 2.48
$0.39 QAR 1.43
71.79%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$9.79 QAR 35.62
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.86 QAR 6.77
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.23 QAR 8.12
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.88 AED 21.59
$6.40 QAR 23.31
-8.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.15 AED 59.3
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.72 AED 10.00
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 AED 11.32
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dubai
Khor
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.60 AED 5.87
$1.07 QAR 3.90
49.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.0 AED 279
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 AED 11.91
$1.90 QAR 6.91
70.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.71 AED 2.61
$2.03 QAR 7.39
-65.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.96 AED 29.22
$13.87 QAR 50.5
-42.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 AED 3.62
$0.54 QAR 1.98
81.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K AED 100.6K
$27.5K QAR 99.9K
-0.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K AED 80.9K
$22.7K QAR 82.5K
-2.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dubai
Khor
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$249 AED 913
$83.6 QAR 304
197.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.4 AED 200
$34.37 QAR 125
58.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$91.5 AED 336
$86.8 QAR 316
5.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dubai
Khor
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$103 AED 380
$68.2 QAR 248
51.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$42.32 AED 155
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.29 AED 59.8
$12.48 QAR 45.43
30.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dubai
Khor
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$844 AED 3,098
$665 QAR 2,420
26.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.3K AED 67.1K
$9,752 QAR 35.5K
87.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dubai
Khor
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.0 AED 246
$60.5 QAR 220
10.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.9 AED 213
$54.5 QAR 198
6.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 AED 375
$99.4 QAR 362
2.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.7 AED 363
$84.8 QAR 309
16.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dubai
Khor
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,393 AED 8,788
$887 QAR 3,229
169.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,533 AED 5,630
$718 QAR 2,613
113.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,594 AED 16.9K
$1,608 QAR 5,853
185.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,939 AED 10.8K
$1,349 QAR 4,911
117.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,046 AED 25.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,222 AED 15.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dubai
Khor
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,461 AED 12.7K
$2,838 QAR 10.3K
21.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.54
5.92
-23.31%

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

Last update for Dubai: October 10, 2026

Last update for Khor: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dubai
$1.5K
Khor
$718 53.2% $815
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dubai
$394
Khor
$205 48.1% $190
Eating Out
Dubai
$305
Khor
$175 42.7% $130
Groceries & Markets
Dubai
$292
Khor
$198 32.1% $93
Clothing & Footwear
Dubai
$147
Khor
$135 8.1% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Dubai
$136
Khor
$93 31.5% $43
Getting Around
Dubai
$89
Khor
$16 * 81.7% $73

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,393 in Dubai and $887 in Khor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 22% 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: $82.0 in Dubai vs $67.0 in Khor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $198 per month, with Khor cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇪 Dubai
🇶🇦 Khor
🕒 Local time
09:49 9:49 AM
08:49 8:49 AM
1 h behind Dubai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,790,000
7,000
💱 Currency
UAE Dirham AED د.إ
Qatari Riyal QAR ر.ق
Exchange rates and currency converter

QAR, USD, EUR to AED – UAE Dirham Converter

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.13 AED (1 AED = 0.242 EUR).

Qatari Riyal exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.64 QAR (1 QAR = 0.275 USD). 1 EUR = 4.09 QAR (1 QAR = 0.244 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dubai Khor 380 km
From you
  • Dubai
  • Khor

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Khor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Khor cheaper than Dubai?
Khor is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dubai or Khor?
Average pay runs 22% higher in Dubai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Dubai and Khor?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,393 in Dubai versus $887 in Khor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Dubai and in Khor?
Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Dubai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Dubai and in Khor?
All in, you'll spend $2,896 per month in Dubai versus $1,540 in Khor – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Dubai or in Khor?
At $1,540 in Khor versus $2,896 in Dubai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khor but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Khor the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Dubai or Khor more family-friendly?
For families, Khor 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.
Which city is safer, Dubai or Khor?
Safety-wise, Dubai and Khor are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Khor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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