Seoul vs Dubai Cost of Living
Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3 — Dubai (United Arab Emirates) · Overall index 63.9
Summary
- Overall, Dubai is 20% more expensive than Seoul.
- Rent in Dubai is 71% more expensive than in Seoul.
- Telecom in Dubai is 13% more expensive than in Seoul.
| Item | Seoul | Dubai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +71% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,128 | $2,221 | +97% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $885 | $1,463 | +65% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,631 | $4,336 | +65% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,576 | $2,566 | +63% |
| Groceries | +9% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.97 | $1.13 | +16% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.03 | $2.78 | -8% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.33 | $3.62 | +9% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.32 | $3.68 | +11% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.47 | $10.8 | +14% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8.39 | $9.36 | +12% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.8 | $15.7 | +6% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.15 | $4.58 | +10% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.53 | $1.72 | +12% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.36 | $3.39 | +1% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.73 | $4.73 | +27% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.22 | $2.21 | 0% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.86 | $2.29 | +23% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.71 | $2.04 | +19% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.67 | $1.92 | +15% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $11.7 | $10.8 | -8% |
| Transport | +6% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.68 | $1.85 | +10% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $68.9 | $81.7 | +19% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.76 | $2.87 | +4% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.34 | $1.22 | -9% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.53 | $0.64 | +21% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,844 | $18,258 | -3% |
| Dining out | +7% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.8 | $18.1 | +22% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $84.8 | $77.6 | -8% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.96 | $7.93 | 0% |
| Cappuccino | $3.11 | $3.98 | +28% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.89 | $1.97 | +4% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.53 | $4.96 | +9% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.53 | $5.5 | -1% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.43 | $1.46 | +2% |
| Telecom | +13% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $45.1 | $55 | +22% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $47.3 | $52.5 | +11% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.22 | $0.28 | +27% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $11.3 | $10.8 | -4% |
| Utilities & household | +10% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $130 | $125 | -4% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.16 | $0.19 | +19% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.13 | $3.78 | +21% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.03 | $1.25 | +21% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $15.9 | $16.1 | +1% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $60.9 | $61 | 0% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.46 | $11.2 | +18% |
| Men's haircut | $22.9 | $22.2 | -3% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $16.6 | $19.7 | +19% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,561 | $1,665 | +7% |
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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