Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abha and Dubai

For one person, living is cheaper in Abha: $1,060 a month against $2,896 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $22,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Abha
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Abha Living Index
140

Cost of Living Index in Dubai
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Dubai Living Index

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Abha

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,060

/mo nomad

Dubai

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$2,896

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abha and in Dubai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Abha and in Dubai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,060 per month in Abha vs $2,896 in Dubai, rent included.

Abha $1,060
Dubai $2,896

A couple spends around $1,757 per month in Abha vs $4,384 in Dubai, rent included.

Abha $1,757
Dubai $4,384

A family of three spends $2,454 per month in Abha vs $5,872 in Dubai, rent included.

Abha $2,454
Dubai $5,872

Abha is about 63% cheaper than Dubai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Abha sits 21% below the global median, while Dubai is 115% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$12.67 AED 46.55

-56.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 SAR 188

$81.7 AED 300

-38.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 SAR 27.43

$9.34 AED 34.30

-21.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Cappuccino

$3.18 SAR 11.92

$5.89 AED 21.62

-46.01%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.69 AED 6.20

-62.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.78 AED 2.86

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.66 AED 50.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.49 AED 49.54

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.84 AED 6.78

-15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$1.50 AED 5.50

-56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

$2.57 AED 9.45

-26.07%

Eggs

$3.21 SAR 12.06

$3.32 AED 12.18

-3.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.57 SAR 17.15

$12.60 AED 46.28

-63.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SAR 27.90

$9.66 AED 35.46

-22.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.32 SAR 68.8

$12.78 AED 46.93

43.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

$2.60 AED 9.54

-19.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 SAR 7.36

$1.90 AED 6.99

3.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$1.91 AED 7.02

-17.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.37 AED 5.02

13.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.46

$1.13 AED 4.14

99.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.77

$1.01 AED 3.71

25.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 SAR 1.25

$1.44 AED 5.30

-77.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 SAR 1.78

$0.67 AED 2.48

-29.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.44 SAR 16.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 SAR 4.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.58 SAR 35.95

$5.88 AED 21.59

62.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.15 AED 59.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 AED 10.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 AED 11.32

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 SAR 3.24

$1.60 AED 5.87

-46.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.13 SAR 139

$76.0 AED 279

-51.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 SAR 10.85

$3.24 AED 11.91

-10.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$0.71 AED 2.61

264.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.67 SAR 51.3

$7.96 AED 29.22

71.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.98 AED 3.62

-39.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$45.2K SAR 169.5K

$27.4K AED 100.6K

64.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.2K SAR 71.9K

$22.0K AED 80.9K

-13.01%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$89.1 SAR 334

$249 AED 913

-64.15%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$37.23 SAR 140

$54.4 AED 200

-31.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 SAR 284

$91.5 AED 336

-17.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.6 SAR 348

$103 AED 380

-10.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.68 SAR 168

$42.32 AED 155

5.58%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 SAR 59.0

$16.29 AED 59.8

-3.50%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$213 SAR 797

$844 AED 3,098

-74.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,189 SAR 15.7K

$18.3K AED 67.1K

-77.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.21 SAR 117

$67.0 AED 246

-53.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 SAR 263

$57.9 AED 213

21.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 SAR 360

$102 AED 375

-6.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.5 SAR 250

$98.7 AED 363

-32.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 SAR 1,185

$2,393 AED 8,788

-86.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 SAR 941

$1,533 AED 5,630

-83.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 SAR 1,983

$4,594 AED 16.9K

-88.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SAR 2,148

$2,939 AED 10.8K

-80.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 SAR 3,497

$7,046 AED 25.9K

-86.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,343 SAR 5,040

$4,222 AED 15.5K

-68.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,229 SAR 8,366

$3,461 AED 12.7K

-35.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

32.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Abha: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dubai: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Abha

$251 23.7%

Dubai

$1.5K 52.9% 511% $1.3K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Abha

$202 19.1%

Dubai

$394 13.6% 95.1% $192

Groceries & Markets

Abha

$201 19%

Dubai

$292 10.1% 45.1% $91

Sport & Entertainment

Abha

$124 11.7%

Dubai

$136 4.7% 9.6% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Abha

$119 11.2%

Dubai

$147 5.1% 23.5% $28

Eating Out

Abha

$107 10.1%

Dubai

$305 10.5% 185% $198

Getting Around

Abha

$56 5.3%

Dubai

$89 3.1% 57.9% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $316 in Abha versus $2,393 in Dubai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 55% higher in Dubai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Abha versus $82.0 in Dubai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $292 – making Abha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Abha

🇦🇪 Dubai

🕒 Local time

04:23 4:23 AM

05:23 5:23 AM

1 h ahead of Abha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

236,157

3,790,000

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

UAE Dirham AED د.إ

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.242 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AED, USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇦 Saudi Riyal (ر.س)

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.13 AED (1 AED = 0.242 EUR).

USD to SAR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Abha Dubai 1,520 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Abha
Dubai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Abha vs Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubai costs about 173% more than Abha, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,591 per month in Abha and $4,344 in Dubai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Dubai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Abha and $82.0 in Dubai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,060, than in Dubai at $2,896. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,060 versus $2,896 in Dubai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Abha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dubai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.