The Middle East is home to some of the oldest forms of civilization in the world such as the Persian empire, but All we hear about this region is bad news, which leaves us clueless about the amazing cities and unique cultures in each country of the Middle East.

A lot of people think that the Middle East is all desert and people live in tents and ride camels (Partially true, but they do it for fun!), but the reality is that Middle Eastern cities are developing fast, improving the daily life of their residents.

In this post, we’ll talk about the top 14 most developed cities in the Middle East.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Being one of the most modern-looking cities in the world, Dubai is a world-famous city, known for its countless high rises such as Burj Khalifa, massive shopping malls, fabulous beaches, and one of a kind International Dubai airport that connects different places in the world to each other. What else can you expect from New NYC?!

Tel Aviv, Israel

Tel Aviv is a beautiful developed city, sitting right beside the stunning Mediterranean. This city hosts millions of visitors each year who would travel for different reasons like amazing beaches, trying Israeli cuisine, Tel Aviv’s Pride week, or getting involved in some sort of startups since Tel Aviv is the capital of Startup in the world.

Tehran, Iran

Tehran has a day population of 14 million and a permanent population of about 10 million people which makes Iran’s capital a megacity in the Middle East that never sleeps. A mouthwatering Kebab dish at 3 am? No problem!

Tehran attracts a lot of tourists each year who are interested to see regular Iranians’ daily lives and develpment, or those who are simply craving a fast-paced city!

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s capital is as developed and modern as it gets. You’ll find a different Saudi Arabia on Riyadh’s streets, unlike the one that media has always showcased! Riyadh is a modern city that has a few futuristic skyscrapers in it such as “Capital Market Authority Tower” with 77 floors!

Doha, Qatar

Many believe that Doha is a developed city and a modern architecture masterpiece. Anywhere you turn your head in this massive Qatari city, you’d see creative modern buildings that are mostly a mixture of modern and traditional values. I mean, there should be a solid foundation in Doha for being accepted as the host city for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Amman, Jordan

Having deep roots in history, Amman has the best of both worlds! It’s an amazing place to see Jordan’s background, as well as its efforts to move towards the future. How awesome would it be to see Roman ruins on one side of the city, as well as development and modern structures on the other side?

Beirut, Lebanon

“Bride of Middle East” is as gorgeous as it gets. With world-class beach resorts, a stunning skyline, and wonderful people, Beirut well deserves its title. Fly over Beirut to see the birds-eye view of the city and you can’t tell if you’re looking at Miami, Port Luis, or Beirut! Beirut is the most developed city in Lebanon.

Cairo, Egypt

Middle East’s most-populated city is also one of the most developed cities in the region. Cairo is a megacity with a metro area population of more than 20 million. Cairo is a great representative of ancient Egyptian history and Egypt as a developing nation.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

A lot of people don’t know that Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and it’s a cool one! Having half of Dubai’s population but being just as modern and developed makes Abu Dhabi an ideal city for traveling or living both in the Middle East and the world.

Manama, Bahrain

Bahrain is a small nation besides the Persian Gulf in the Middle East. Manama, the capital is a liberated modern-looking and developed city where people travel to have fun, especially Saudis. Manama is also among the top favorite cities for expats.

Tabriz, Iran

Having a majority of Turk population, Tabriz is an industrial city on the North-Eastern side of Iran, and second-most developed city in Iran after Tehran. This city is home to a lot of factories such as car production lines, clothing factories, and more. Tabriz is also a foodies favorite city, known for its delicious kebabs.

Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan

Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan has a stunning nature and is moving towards modernity faster than anyone could predict. Citizens of Erbil are very proud of their city and culture.