Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Aberdeen, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Aberdeen, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,149 in Abu Dhabi versus $2,033 in Aberdeen, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,434 in Abu Dhabi versus $3,044 in Aberdeen, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,719 in Abu Dhabi versus $4,056 in Aberdeen, WA.

Living in Abu Dhabi is roughly 6% more expensive than in Aberdeen, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abu Dhabi 61% above, Aberdeen, WA 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.88 AED 39.95

$20.64 $20.64

-47.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 AED 254

$102 $102

-32.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 AED 35.62

$11.90 $11.90

-18.49%

Cappuccino

$6.00 AED 22.05

$4.72 $4.72

27.12%

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

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.78 $1.78

-29.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.61

$2.42 $2.42

-81.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.93 AED 40.15

$6.02 $6.02

81.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.75 AED 39.48

$5.14 $5.14

109.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 AED 7.02

$1.08 $1.08

76.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 AED 5.86

$2.73 $2.73

-41.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 AED 8.93

$2.72 $2.72

-10.66%

Eggs

$3.68 AED 13.52

$5.03 $5.03

-26.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 AED 38.89

$10.05 $10.05

5.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 AED 31.17

$6.66 $6.66

27.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 AED 41.44

$8.77 $8.77

28.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 AED 8.75

$5.17 $5.17

-53.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 AED 6.39

$1.86 $1.86

-6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 AED 6.64

$5.69 $5.69

-68.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.53

$5.89 $5.89

-74.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 AED 4.28

$2.87 $2.87

-59.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 AED 5.13

$3.57 $3.57

-60.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 AED 6.84

$2.88 $2.88

-35.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 AED 2.17

$1.81 $1.81

-67.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 AED 22.90

$11.30 $11.30

-44.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 AED 49.64

$12.75 $12.75

6.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 AED 8.51

$1.78 $1.78

30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 AED 8.29

$2.64 $2.64

-14.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 AED 2.55

$0.98 $0.98

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.96 AED 95.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 AED 11.91

$5.52 $5.52

-41.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 AED 2.06

$0.77 $0.77

-27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 AED 29.22

$29.30 $29.30

-72.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.77

$1.11 $1.11

-32.43%

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

$45.8K AED 168.2K

$30.7K $30.7K

48.97%

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

$22.6K AED 83.1K

$26.1K $26.1K

-13.26%

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

$143 AED 526

$158 $158

-9.45%

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

$50.1 AED 184

$52.5 $52.5

-4.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 376

$70.6 $70.6

45.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 AED 240

$30.60 $30.60

113.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.30 AED 126

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 AED 49.73

$4.91 $4.91

175.76%

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

$621 AED 2,282

$1,012 $1,012

-38.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K AED 44.3K

$30.5K $30.5K

-60.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 AED 216

$44.76 $44.76

31.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 AED 206

$29.19 $29.19

92.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 AED 343

$65.6 $65.6

42.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 AED 326

$114 $114

-22.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 AED 5,440

$1,084 $1,084

36.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 AED 4,021

$904 $904

21.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,073 AED 11.3K

$1,761 $1,761

74.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 AED 8,485

$1,390 $1,390

66.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,810 AED 17.7K

$2,952 $2,952

62.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,843 AED 10.4K

$2,926 $2,926

-2.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,887 AED 10.6K

$4,336 $4,336

-33.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.19

6.51

-20.28%

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

Last update for Abu Dhabi: July 14, 2026

Last update for Aberdeen, WA: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,481 in Abu Dhabi and $1,084 in Aberdeen, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aberdeen, WA pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Abu Dhabi vs $102 in Aberdeen, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $337 per month, with Abu Dhabi cheaper across the board.

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

Abu Dhabi vs Aberdeen, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aberdeen, WA is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 50% lower in Aberdeen, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,481 in Abu Dhabi versus $1,084 in Aberdeen, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $621 in Abu Dhabi versus $1,012 in Aberdeen, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Aberdeen, WA – a meal for two runs $102 versus $69.0 in Abu Dhabi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,033 in Aberdeen, WA versus $2,149 in Abu Dhabi, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Aberdeen, WA but tight or insufficient in Abu Dhabi. The gap between the two cities makes Aberdeen, WA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Aberdeen, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Abu Dhabi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Abu Dhabi and Aberdeen, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Aberdeen, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Abu Dhabi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.