Dubai vs Seoul Cost of Living
Dubai (United Arab Emirates) · Overall index 63.9 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 17% cheaper than Dubai.
- Rent in Seoul is 42% cheaper than in Dubai.
- Telecom in Seoul is 11% cheaper than in Dubai.
| Item | Dubai | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -42% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,221 | $1,128 | -49% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,463 | $885 | -40% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $4,336 | $2,631 | -39% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,566 | $1,576 | -39% |
| Groceries | -9% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.13 | $0.97 | -14% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.78 | $3.03 | +9% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.62 | $3.33 | -8% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.68 | $3.32 | -10% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $10.8 | $9.47 | -12% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.36 | $8.39 | -10% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.7 | $14.8 | -6% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.58 | $4.15 | -9% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.72 | $1.53 | -11% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.39 | $3.36 | -1% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.73 | $3.73 | -21% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $2.22 | 0% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.29 | $1.86 | -19% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.04 | $1.71 | -16% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.92 | $1.67 | -13% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.8 | $11.7 | +8% |
| Transport | -6% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.85 | $1.68 | -9% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $81.7 | $68.9 | -16% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.87 | $2.76 | -4% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.22 | $1.34 | +10% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.64 | $0.53 | -17% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,258 | $18,844 | +3% |
| Dining out | -6% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $18.1 | $14.8 | -18% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $77.6 | $84.8 | +9% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.93 | $7.96 | 0% |
| Cappuccino | $3.98 | $3.11 | -22% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.97 | $1.89 | -4% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.96 | $4.53 | -9% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.5 | $5.53 | +1% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.46 | $1.43 | -2% |
| Telecom | -11% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $55 | $45.1 | -18% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $52.5 | $47.3 | -10% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.22 | -21% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.8 | $11.3 | +5% |
| Utilities & household | -9% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $125 | $130 | +4% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.19 | $0.16 | -16% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.78 | $3.13 | -17% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.25 | $1.03 | -18% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $16.1 | $15.9 | -1% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $61 | $60.9 | 0% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $11.2 | $9.46 | -16% |
| Men's haircut | $22.2 | $22.9 | +3% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $19.7 | $16.6 | -16% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,665 | $1,561 | -6% |
3,270 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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