Bangkok vs Dubai Cost of Living
Bangkok (Thailand) · Overall index 36.1 — Dubai (United Arab Emirates) · Overall index 63.9
Summary
- Overall, Dubai is 77% more expensive than Bangkok.
- Rent in Dubai is 159% more expensive than in Bangkok.
- Transport in Dubai is 75% more expensive than in Bangkok.
| Item | Bangkok | Dubai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +159% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $785 | $2,221 | +183% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $630 | $1,463 | +132% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,512 | $4,336 | +187% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,069 | $2,566 | +140% |
| Groceries | +58% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.61 | $1.13 | +85% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.14 | $2.78 | +30% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.56 | $3.62 | +41% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.53 | $3.68 | +45% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $6.93 | $10.8 | +56% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.15 | $9.36 | +52% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $10.3 | $15.7 | +52% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.84 | $4.58 | +61% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.93 | $1.72 | +85% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.4 | $3.39 | +41% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.38 | $4.73 | +99% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.38 | $2.21 | +60% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.39 | $2.29 | +65% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.2 | $2.04 | +70% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.22 | $1.92 | +57% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.66 | $10.8 | +41% |
| Transport | +75% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.01 | $1.85 | +83% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $44.6 | $81.7 | +83% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.59 | $2.87 | +81% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.81 | $1.22 | +51% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.37 | $0.64 | +73% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $10,133 | $18,258 | +80% |
| Dining out | +69% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.84 | $18.1 | +105% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $47.5 | $77.6 | +63% |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.21 | $7.93 | +52% |
| Cappuccino | $2.15 | $3.98 | +85% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.11 | $1.97 | +77% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.3 | $4.96 | +50% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.74 | $5.5 | +47% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.78 | $1.46 | +87% |
| Telecom | +46% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $33.4 | $55 | +65% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $37.1 | $52.5 | +42% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.19 | $0.28 | +47% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.29 | $10.8 | +30% |
| Utilities & household | +62% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $81.5 | $125 | +53% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.09 | $0.19 | +111% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.32 | $3.78 | +63% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.67 | $1.25 | +87% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.8 | $16.1 | +49% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $37.2 | $61 | +64% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $7.95 | $11.2 | +41% |
| Men's haircut | $15.5 | $22.2 | +43% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $12.7 | $19.7 | +55% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $991 | $1,665 | +68% |
3,423 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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