Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Latakia and Dubai

For one person, living is cheaper in Latakia: $477 a month against $2,896 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $29,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Latakia
🇸🇾 Syria
$477
/mo nomad
Dubai
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
$2,896
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Latakia and in Dubai

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $477 in Latakia versus $2,896 in Dubai.

  • Latakia $477
  • Dubai $2,896

Estimated couple costs with rent: $789 in Latakia versus $4,384 in Dubai.

  • Latakia $789
  • Dubai $4,384

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,100 in Latakia versus $5,872 in Dubai.

  • Latakia $1,100
  • Dubai $5,872

Living in Latakia costs roughly 84% less than in Dubai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Latakia is 65% below, Dubai is 115% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Latakia
Dubai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.14 SYP 625
$12.67 AED 46.55
-59.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.86 SYP 3,628
$81.7 AED 300
-63.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.58 SYP 678
$9.34 AED 34.30
-40.26%
Cappuccino
$1.03 SYP 125
$5.89 AED 21.62
-82.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 SYP 115
$1.69 AED 6.20
-43.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 SYP 103
$0.78 AED 2.86
8.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.99 SYP 120
$13.66 AED 50.2
-92.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 SYP 356
$13.49 AED 49.54
-78.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Latakia
Dubai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.86 SYP 105
$1.84 AED 6.78
-53.26%
White Bread (500g)
$0.38 SYP 46.56
$1.50 AED 5.50
-74.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 SYP 141
$2.57 AED 9.45
-54.86%
Eggs
$1.45 SYP 177
$3.32 AED 12.18
-56.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.88 SYP 472
$12.60 AED 46.28
-69.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.08 SYP 617
$9.66 AED 35.46
-47.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.03 SYP 1,705
$12.78 AED 46.93
9.78%
Apples (1kg)
$0.86 SYP 105
$2.60 AED 9.54
-66.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.13 SYP 137
$1.90 AED 6.99
-40.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.69 SYP 83.5
$1.91 AED 7.02
-63.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.65 SYP 78.8
$1.37 AED 5.02
-52.55%
Potato (1kg)
$0.68 SYP 82.6
$1.13 AED 4.14
-39.82%
Onion (1kg)
$0.73 SYP 88.9
$1.01 AED 3.71
-27.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 SYP 52.5
$1.44 AED 5.30
-70.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 SYP 79.0
$0.67 AED 2.48
-2.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.71 SYP 329
$5.88 AED 21.59
-53.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.94 SYP 479
$16.15 AED 59.3
-75.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 SYP 156
$2.72 AED 10.00
-52.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 SYP 291
$3.08 AED 11.32
-22.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Latakia
Dubai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.07 SYP 7.97
$1.60 AED 5.87
-95.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$76.0 AED 279
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.02 SYP 125
$3.24 AED 11.91
-68.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.59 SYP 71.3
$0.71 AED 2.61
-16.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.14 SYP 625
$7.96 AED 29.22
-35.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 SYP 133
$0.98 AED 3.62
12.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.8K SYP 1.8M
$27.4K AED 100.6K
-46.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.3K SYP 2.3M
$22.0K AED 80.9K
-12.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Latakia
Dubai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$68.0 SYP 8,262
$249 AED 913
-72.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.32 SYP 889
$54.4 AED 200
-86.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.60 SYP 4,205
$91.5 AED 336
-62.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Latakia
Dubai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.03 SYP 1,705
$103 AED 380
-86.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.75 SYP 1,184
$42.32 AED 155
-76.96%
Cinema Ticket
$1.17 SYP 142
$16.29 AED 59.8
-92.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Latakia
Dubai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$40.70 SYP 4,946
$844 AED 3,098
-95.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,481 SYP 180.0K
$18.3K AED 67.1K
-91.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Latakia
Dubai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.24 SYP 3,189
$67.0 AED 246
-60.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.73 SYP 2,397
$57.9 AED 213
-65.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$40.64 SYP 4,939
$102 AED 375
-60.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.09 SYP 4,872
$98.7 AED 363
-59.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Latakia
Dubai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$90.3 SYP 11.0K
$2,393 AED 8,788
-96.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$50.5 SYP 6,134
$1,533 AED 5,630
-96.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$251 SYP 30.5K
$4,594 AED 16.9K
-94.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$124 SYP 15.1K
$2,939 AED 10.8K
-95.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$700 SYP 85.0K
$7,046 AED 25.9K
-90.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$246 SYP 29.9K
$4,222 AED 15.5K
-94.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Latakia
Dubai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$57.9 SYP 7,037
$3,461 AED 12.7K
-98.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14.25
4.54
213.88%

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

Last update for Latakia: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dubai: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Latakia
$151
Dubai
$292 92.8% $140
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Latakia
$110
Dubai
$394 259% $285
Eating Out
Latakia
$88
Dubai
$305 246% $217
Clothing & Footwear
Latakia
$57
Dubai
$147 157% $90
Accommodation & Living
Latakia
$50
Dubai
$1.5K 2937% $1.5K
Sport & Entertainment
Latakia
$16
Dubai
$136 731% $120
Getting Around
Latakia
$4.2 *
Dubai
$89 2012% $85

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 $90.3 in Latakia and $2,393 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 5876% 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: $30.00 in Latakia vs $82.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $292 per month, with Latakia cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇾 Latakia
🇦🇪 Dubai
🕒 Local time
20:59 8:59 PM
21:59 9:59 PM
1 h ahead of Latakia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
383,786
3,790,000
💱 Currency
UAE Dirham AED د.إ
Exchange rates and currency converter

AED, USD, EUR to SYP – Syrian Pound Converter

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 122 SYP (1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 137 SYP (1,000 SYP = 7.32 EUR).

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.13 AED (1 AED = 0.242 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Latakia Dubai 2,190 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Latakia
  • Dubai

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

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Latakia vs Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dubai cheaper than Latakia?
Latakia is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 507% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Latakia or Dubai?
On paper, salaries run 5876% 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.
What is the rent difference between Latakia and Dubai?
Rent for a central apartment: $90.3 in Latakia versus $2,393 in Dubai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Latakia and in Dubai?
Supermarket bills run roughly 93% higher in Dubai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Latakia and in Dubai?
All in, you'll spend $477 per month in Latakia versus $2,896 in Dubai – a 507% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Latakia or in Dubai?
At $477 in Latakia versus $2,896 in Dubai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Latakia but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Latakia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Latakia or Dubai more family-friendly?
For families, Latakia 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, Latakia or Dubai?
Safety-wise, Latakia 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Latakia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 507% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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