Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yangon (Rangoon) and Dubai

For one person, living is cheaper in Yangon (Rangoon): $775 a month against $2,854 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $24,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Yangon (Rangoon)
🇲🇲 Myanmar
$775
/mo nomad
Dubai
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
$2,854
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yangon (Rangoon) 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 Yangon (Rangoon) and in Dubai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $775 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $2,854 in Dubai.

  • Yangon (Rangoon) $775
  • Dubai $2,854

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,293 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $4,321 in Dubai.

  • Yangon (Rangoon) $1,293
  • Dubai $4,321

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,810 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $5,788 in Dubai.

  • Yangon (Rangoon) $1,810
  • Dubai $5,788

Living in Yangon (Rangoon) costs roughly 73% less than in Dubai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yangon (Rangoon) is 42% below, Dubai is 113% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yangon (Rangoon)
Dubai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.52 MMK 5,283
$13.04 AED 47.89
-80.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.80 MMK 35.2K
$81.4 AED 299
-79.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.03 MMK 6,334
$9.32 AED 34.25
-67.49%
Cappuccino
$1.65 MMK 3,459
$5.97 AED 21.93
-72.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 MMK 1,478
$1.63 AED 5.98
-56.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 MMK 1,344
$0.81 AED 2.99
-20.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.98 MMK 2,052
$13.65 AED 50.1
-92.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 MMK 4,080
$13.38 AED 49.15
-85.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yangon (Rangoon)
Dubai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 MMK 3,613
$1.81 AED 6.64
-4.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 MMK 2,361
$1.57 AED 5.78
-28.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 MMK 4,683
$2.49 AED 9.16
-10.04%
Eggs
$1.88 MMK 3,932
$3.28 AED 12.04
-42.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.32 MMK 13.2K
$12.67 AED 46.53
-50.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.56 MMK 9,552
$9.75 AED 35.80
-53.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.80 MMK 12.1K
$13.18 AED 48.40
-55.99%
Apples (1kg)
$4.70 MMK 9,844
$2.61 AED 9.57
80.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 MMK 2,324
$1.93 AED 7.09
-42.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.17 MMK 8,733
$1.92 AED 7.05
117.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 MMK 6,422
$1.36 AED 5.00
125.74%
Potato (1kg)
$2.60 MMK 5,454
$1.17 AED 4.29
122.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.68 MMK 3,508
$1.01 AED 3.71
66.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 MMK 2,505
$1.51 AED 5.56
-20.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 MMK 990
$0.62 AED 2.29
-24.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.68 MMK 3,514
$5.85 AED 21.50
-71.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.12 MMK 19.1K
$16.14 AED 59.3
-43.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 MMK 2,025
$2.65 AED 9.74
-63.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MMK 2,531
$2.95 AED 10.82
-58.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Yangon (Rangoon)
Dubai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 MMK 590
$1.64 AED 6.03
-82.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.96 MMK 25.0K
$73.6 AED 270
-83.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 MMK 2,154
$3.17 AED 11.66
-67.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.98 MMK 2,057
$0.71 AED 2.63
38.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 MMK 5,607
$7.96 AED 29.23
-66.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$9.07 MMK 19.0K
$0.99 AED 3.64
816.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.6K MMK 64.0M
$27.4K AED 100.5K
11.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.8K MMK 98.1M
$22.5K AED 82.8K
107.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yangon (Rangoon)
Dubai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$48.50 MMK 101.5K
$250 AED 920
-80.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.38 MMK 15.5K
$54.2 AED 199
-86.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87 MMK 39.5K
$91.8 AED 337
-79.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yangon (Rangoon)
Dubai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.31 MMK 40.4K
$98.6 AED 362
-80.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.23 MMK 23.5K
$42.61 AED 156
-73.64%
Cinema Ticket
$2.48 MMK 5,183
$16.03 AED 58.9
-84.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yangon (Rangoon)
Dubai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$510 MMK 1.1M
$843 AED 3,098
-39.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.5K MMK 36.6M
$18.3K AED 67.1K
-4.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yangon (Rangoon)
Dubai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 MMK 184.5K
$68.0 AED 250
29.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.9 MMK 133.8K
$57.9 AED 213
10.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 MMK 210.1K
$101 AED 370
-0.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 MMK 271.7K
$101 AED 371
28.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yangon (Rangoon)
Dubai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$359 MMK 750.6K
$2,380 AED 8,741
-84.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$198 MMK 413.7K
$1,506 AED 5,531
-86.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,046 MMK 2.2M
$4,437 AED 16.3K
-76.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$544 MMK 1.1M
$3,010 AED 11.1K
-81.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,169 MMK 4.5M
$7,121 AED 26.2K
-69.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$933 MMK 2.0M
$4,135 AED 15.2K
-77.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yangon (Rangoon)
Dubai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$284 MMK 594.8K
$3,391 AED 12.5K
-91.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12
4.54
164.32%

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

Last update for Yangon (Rangoon): October 5, 2026

Last update for Dubai: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Yangon (Rangoon)
$213
Dubai
$293 37.1% $79
Accommodation & Living
Yangon (Rangoon)
$198
Dubai
$1.5K 662% $1.3K
Clothing & Footwear
Yangon (Rangoon)
$172
Dubai
$147 14.3% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yangon (Rangoon)
$75
Dubai
$396 430% $322
Eating Out
Yangon (Rangoon)
$63
Dubai
$309 388% $245
Sport & Entertainment
Yangon (Rangoon)
$24
Dubai
$131 439% $106
Getting Around
Yangon (Rangoon)
$19
Dubai
$87 357% $68

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $359 in Yangon (Rangoon) and $2,380 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 1093% 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: $17.00 in Yangon (Rangoon) vs $81.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $293 per month, with Yangon (Rangoon) cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇲 Yangon (Rangoon)
🇦🇪 Dubai
🕒 Local time
15:34 3:34 PM
13:04 1:04 PM
2 h 30 min behind Yangon (Rangoon)
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,160,512
3,790,000
💱 Currency
UAE Dirham AED د.إ
Exchange rates and currency converter

AED, USD, EUR to MMK – Myanmar Kyat Converter

Myanmar Kyat exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2,094 MMK (10,000 MMK = 4.78 USD). 1 EUR = 2,348 MMK (10,000 MMK = 4.26 EUR).

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.12 AED (1 AED = 0.243 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Yangon (Rangoon) Dubai 4,340 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yangon (Rangoon)
  • Dubai

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
Yangon (Rangoon) vs Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dubai cheaper than Yangon (Rangoon)?
Yangon (Rangoon) is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 268% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Yangon (Rangoon) or Dubai?
On paper, salaries run 1093% 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 Yangon (Rangoon) and Dubai?
Rent for a central apartment: $359 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $2,380 in Dubai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Yangon (Rangoon) runs roughly 515% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $510 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $843 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Yangon (Rangoon) or in Dubai?
At $775 in Yangon (Rangoon) versus $2,854 in Dubai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yangon (Rangoon) but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Yangon (Rangoon) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Yangon (Rangoon) or Dubai more family-friendly?
For families, Yangon (Rangoon) 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, Yangon (Rangoon) or Dubai?
Safety-wise, Yangon (Rangoon) 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 Yangon (Rangoon) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 268% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Yangon (Rangoon) vs other spots: cost of living compared

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