Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Tel Aviv-Yafo Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Tel Aviv-Yafo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,832 in Dubai versus $2,668 in Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,340 in Dubai versus $4,195 in Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,848 in Dubai versus $5,723 in Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Living in Dubai is roughly 6% more expensive than in Tel Aviv-Yafo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 112% above, Tel Aviv-Yafo 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 AED 39.52

$22.26 ₪67.6

-51.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 AED 295

$114 ₪346

-29.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 AED 35.87

$16.79 ₪51.0

-41.81%

Cappuccino

$5.76 AED 21.15

$4.20 ₪12.77

37.14%

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

$1.19 AED 4.37

$3.10 ₪9.41

-61.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 AED 3.31

$2.60 ₪7.90

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.10 AED 44.45

$8.99 ₪27.30

34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.64 AED 50.1

$8.64 ₪26.25

57.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 AED 7.20

$1.99 ₪6.04

-1.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 AED 5.25

$3.02 ₪9.18

-52.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 AED 8.00

$3.22 ₪9.79

-32.30%

Eggs

$3.41 AED 12.54

$4.06 ₪12.33

-16.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 AED 37.01

$16.13 ₪48.98

-37.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 AED 33.82

$12.56 ₪38.14

-26.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 AED 46.59

$21.33 ₪64.8

-40.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 AED 8.66

$4.24 ₪12.87

-44.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 AED 7.15

$2.61 ₪7.94

-25.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 AED 6.86

$2.21 ₪6.71

-15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.67

$3.41 ₪10.36

-54.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 AED 4.35

$1.85 ₪5.61

-35.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$2.02 ₪6.15

-37.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 AED 5.13

$2.16 ₪6.57

-35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 AED 2.41

$1.49 ₪4.52

-55.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 AED 24.64

$11.41 ₪34.66

-41.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 AED 61.1

$16.57 ₪50.3

0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

$3.09 ₪9.38

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 AED 13.06

$3.45 ₪10.48

3.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 AED 6.06

$2.28 ₪6.91

-27.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 AED 306

$73.0 ₪222

14.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 AED 11.76

$3.83 ₪11.63

-16.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 AED 2.97

$0.54 ₪1.65

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 AED 29.62

$33.49 ₪102

-75.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.75

$2.12 ₪6.45

-64.62%

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

$32.6K AED 119.9K

$48.4K ₪147.1K

-32.58%

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

$22.9K AED 84.0K

$44.7K ₪135.9K

-48.90%

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

$215 AED 789

$264 ₪803

-18.77%

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

$61.8 AED 227

$10.93 ₪33.20

464.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 375

$31.25 ₪94.9

227.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 AED 319

$79.0 ₪240

10.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.46 AED 171

$19.43 ₪59.0

139.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 AED 55.9

$13.42 ₪40.76

13.49%

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

$851 AED 3,126

$1,295 ₪3,933

-34.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K AED 51.5K

$24.8K ₪75.2K

-43.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 AED 302

$107 ₪326

-23.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 AED 228

$61.7 ₪187

0.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 AED 418

$133 ₪404

-14.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 439

$151 ₪458

-20.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 AED 9,051

$1,643 ₪4,990

50.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 AED 5,751

$1,211 ₪3,678

29.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,655 AED 17.1K

$3,075 ₪9,341

51.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,950 AED 10.8K

$2,228 ₪6,768

32.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,113 AED 26.1K

$20.7K ₪62.7K

-65.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 AED 15.1K

$13.1K ₪39.9K

-68.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,390 AED 12.4K

$4,279 ₪13.0K

-20.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

5.46

-17.77%

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

Last update for Dubai: July 14, 2026

Last update for Tel Aviv-Yafo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,465 in Dubai and $1,643 in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tel Aviv-Yafo pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Dubai vs $114 in Tel Aviv-Yafo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $282 vs $409 per month, with Dubai 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 Tel Aviv-Yafo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tel Aviv-Yafo is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Tel Aviv-Yafo. 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: $2,465 in Dubai versus $1,643 in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tel Aviv-Yafo runs roughly 14% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $851 in Dubai versus $1,295 in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Tel Aviv-Yafo is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Tel Aviv-Yafo 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 Tel Aviv-Yafo 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 Tel Aviv-Yafo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.