Start with the basket, not the headline
A single “cost of living” number hides the parts that change a budget. Housing, utilities, schooling, transport, food and healthcare are separate decisions. Compare them separately before comparing a total.
Rent is the largest variable
A one-bedroom city-centre rent can differ by several times between Dubai, Riyadh, Doha and Cairo. Ask whether the figure is monthly or annual, furnished or unfurnished, and whether it includes service charges. A rent-free period or a multi-cheque discount changes the effective monthly cost.
Cooling is a separate utility story
Gulf electricity bills are dominated by air conditioning. An 85 m² apartment average is a useful starting point, but a villa, a top-floor flat or a district-cooling connection can be materially higher. Internet is usually a separate line item.
Schooling can outweigh rent
An international primary place can cost more per year than a one-bedroom apartment. Registration, capital levies, transport and uniforms sit outside tuition. Compare the full first-year cost, not the advertised term fee.
Keep currencies separate
Do not convert every price into one currency and call it a comparison. Exchange rates move, and a converted number is not a price a resident can pay. Keep the local amount and compare the basket in each market.