Which place is cheaper, Tel Aviv or Dubai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Dubai or Tel Aviv?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dubai and Tel Aviv can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Tel Aviv?
Dubai
Ever wonder what it would be like to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous up close. There's no more upscale destination than Dubai. It's by far and away the spot for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining and the most luxurious of luxury. As the most modern and progressive of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, this area has experienced an unbelievable economic boom and tourism spike. It's a desert city with an amazing infrastructure.
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is the second largest city in Israel and is situated on the Mediterranean coast 60 kilometers north of Jerusalem. It's a rapidly growing city and is one of the most modern and cosmopolitan cities in Israel. The official name is Tel Aviv-Yafo because the city has grown to include the ancient port city of Yafo. If you're looking for an embassy, you are likely to find it in Tel Aviv, despite Jerusalem being the official capital of Israel.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Dubai, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United Arab Emirates, The Best Luxury Tours to Israel, and The Best Budget Tours to Israel.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $248Tel Aviv $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $248, while the average daily cost in Tel Aviv is $138. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Dubai and Tel Aviv in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Tel Aviv $85
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Tel Aviv $170
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Tel Aviv
Looking for a hotel in Dubai or Tel Aviv? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Dubai Hotel Prices and Tel Aviv Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Tel Aviv $8.66
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
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Taxi Ride$12
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Airport Taxi$12
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Sea Taxi$0.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubai
Also for Dubai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Dining Experience at Armani Hotel Burj Khalifa With Transfers: $185
- Dubai Frame & La Perle Dragon Dubai (Bronze) With Transfer: $210
- Dubai Frame With Transfers: $61
- Inside Burj Al Arab Tour with Gold Cappuccino and Transfer: $190
- 1 Day 1 Park (Motiongate or Legoland) with Private Transfer: $185
- 1-Hour Quad Biking Tour with Transfer from Dubai: $61
- 12 Minute Helicopter Ride in Dubai with Optional Transfer: $255
- 20 Minute Jet Car Ride Near Burj Al Arab with Optional Transfers: $230
- 3-Hour Ice Skating Experience in Dubai with optional Transfer: $66
- 4 Seater Jet Car Adventure in Dubai with Optional Transfer: $280
- 5 Hours Dubai Frame and Global Village Tour with Private Transfer: $135
- A Japanese Business Lunch Experience in Dubai with Transfer: $119
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tel Aviv
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tel Aviv are as follows:
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Local Bus to Central Bus Station$1.56
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Taxi to Airport$40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tel Aviv
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tel Aviv:
- Tel Aviv Airport (TLV): Private Transfer to Tel Aviv: $450
- Private transfer service from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem: $298
- Tel Aviv Airport TLV to Haifa hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $297
- Private Transfer from Cruise Port to Tel Aviv Airport TLV: $283
- Private Transfer from Tel Aviv Airport TLV to Cruise Port: $283
- Tel Aviv Airport TLV Private transfer to Tel Aviv in Luxury Van: $273
- Private Transfer from Herzlia to Jerusalem: $247
- Tel Aviv Private Transfer To Amman: $240
- Private Haifa Transfer - from/to Tel Aviv City or (TLV) Airport : $239
- Tel Aviv Private Transfer To Dead Sea: $225
- Tel Aviv Airport Private Transfer To Dead Sea: $225
- transfer from bengurion airport to Jerusalem : $200
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Tel Aviv?
Prices for flights to both Tel Aviv and Dubai change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayDubai $56Tel Aviv $27
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
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French bread$0.95
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Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
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Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
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Coffee & Cake$6.54
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Smoothie$5.45
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Shawarma$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Dubai Creek with Buffet Dinner: $14
- Ocean Express Dinner Cruise Al-Seef: $14
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet in Dubai: $14
- Dubai Dhow Cruise Dinner in Deira Creek: $15
- Dubai:Desert Safari BBQ dinner, Dune bashing,Camel&Sandboarding: $15
- Scenic Dhow Cruise with Buffet Dinner and Live Shows: $16
- Desert Safari with Dinner and Live Show: $18
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet: $18
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner: $19
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Creek with pickup & drop off: $19
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Creek: $19
- Dubai Best Dhow Cruise dinner (buffet): $20
Typical Food Prices in Tel Aviv
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tel Aviv:
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Dinner for Two$22
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Dinner for 2 at Vatroshka$129
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Lunch at Segev Sarona$34
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Aroma Iced Coffee$3.71
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Lunch at the airport$31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tel Aviv
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tel Aviv.
- Carmel Market Food Tour: $45
- Carmel Market Food Tour: $49
- Tel Aviv Food Tour: The Magic of Carmel Market: $49
- Private Jaffa Flea Market Hapishpeshim Food Tour: $60
- Tel Aviv Skyline & Yaffo Guided food Tour & Shuk Hapishpishim: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Tel Aviv $23
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Visit to the Dubai Museum$0.82
Tours and Activities in Dubai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubai.
- Tourist eSIM/SIM Card with Data and Minutes: $2.48
- Dubai Guided Old Town Tour, Abra Boat, Gold & Spice Souk: $4.63
- Global Village Entry Ticket: $6.13
- 4G Data Roaming eSIM Card for Tourists: $7.18
- Small-Group Premium Old Town, Souk, & Abra Boat Tour: $7.90
- Walking Tour with Gold & Spice Souks & Abra Boat Ride: $8.85
- Pearl Merchants and Palm Trees: A Self-Guided Tour of Sharjah: $8.99
- Dubai Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Dubai Old city tour small group - History and Traditions: $9.53
- Guided Old Town Tour with Souks, Tastings & Boat Tour: $9.67
- Walking Tour, Old Town, Abra, Souks & Street Food: $9.80
- Global Village Tickets : $10
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tel Aviv
Here are a few typical costs in Tel Aviv for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Masada tour from Tel Aviv$78
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Etzel museum$3.98
Tours and Activities in Tel Aviv
Here are a few actual costs in Tel Aviv for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Romantic Walking Tour In Tel Aviv for Couples: $240
- Self-guided Graffiti tour in Tel Aviv in your own time and your own pace: $24
- 1-Day Tour Jerusalem and the Dead Sea from Tel Aviv: $129
- All the Best of Tel Aviv Walking Tour: $28
- Best of Golan Heights Day Tour from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv: $190
- Best of Jerusalem Day Tour from Tel Aviv: $154
- Best of Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tour from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem: $189
- Best of Tel Aviv and Jaffa Walking Tour - 1 Day: $89
- Bethlehem and Jericho Day Biblical Tour from Tel Aviv: $190
- Bethlehem and Jerusalem Day Biblical Tour from Tel Aviv: $183
- Bethlehem, Jericho & Jordan River Tour from Tel Aviv: $109
- Caesarea, Haifa And Akko Tour: $99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Tel Aviv $22
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
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A Couple Drinks$25
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubai
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubai:
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tour: $67
Sample the Local Flavors in Tel Aviv
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Tel Aviv:
- Pub Crawl and Nightlife Tour with Shots: $21
- Pub Crawl with Clubs, dance bars and free shots: $21
- Guided Pub Crawl Night Tour at Tel Aviv: $24
- Pub Crawl with 4 Stops and Free Shots: $30
- Tel Aviv Craft Beers Pub Crawl: $42
- Wine Tour North of Israel from Tel Aviv: $959
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Tel Aviv, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Tel Aviv much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tel Aviv would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tel Aviv and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Dubai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubai than you might in Tel Aviv.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dubai Expensive? and Is Tel Aviv Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubai or Tel Aviv?
Dubai has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Tel Aviv. When comparing the sizes of Dubai and Tel Aviv, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.