Arab Cities: The cheapest and most expensive in 2021

Algiers and Cairo are among the most affordable capitals in the Middle East, while Beirut is the most expensive of Arab cities, according to the cost-of-living index issued by Numbeo for 2021.

For countries, Algeria ranked 130st (16th in the Arab world), Tunisia ranked 125th (14th AW), then Egypt ranked 122nd (13th AW) in the cost-of-living index, rounding out with Libya at 137th (17th AW) and Syria at 128th 15th AW).

The website derives its information from multiple sources, including foreign embassies and travellers’ experiences. Still, it may not provide a completely accurate picture of the living cost.

Lebanon, and its capital, Beirut, stood out as the most expensive country and city because of the stifling economic crisis it is facing, in spite of its number of wealthy citizens (Nearly 5% of Lebanese residents are wealthy, i.e., 215,000 Lebanese), according to a report by Information International.

Numbeo measures the prices of consumer goods, such as vegetables and fruits, meals and drinks in restaurants, transportation expenses, and residential and office rent.

Arab Cities Ranking

As for Qatar, which ranked second among the most expensive capitals and Arab countries, it ranked 34th globally, followed by the UAE in 3rd place in the Arab world and 36th globally. Bahrain came fourth regionally and 41st globally.

Occupied Palestine ranked 43rd globally (5th AW), followed by Jordan 54th (6th AW), respectively, then Yemen 57th (7th AW), Oman 8th 60th (8th AW), Saudi Arabia 61st (9th AW), Kuwait 62nd (10th AW), Morocco 99th (11th AW), and Iraq 111th (12th AW).

The site also provides a useful feature to compare any two cities’ cost of living by entering the name of each location on the site.