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: $2,216 in Abu Dhabi versus $1,969 in Aberdeen, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,511 in Abu Dhabi versus $2,985 in Aberdeen, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,805 in Abu Dhabi versus $4,001 in Aberdeen, WA.

Living in Abu Dhabi is roughly 13% more expensive than Aberdeen, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abu Dhabi 65% above, Aberdeen, WA 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 AED 40.04

$20.71 $20.71

-47.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 AED 246

$101 $101

-33.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 AED 34.76

$11.95 $11.95

-20.75%

Cappuccino

$5.75 AED 21.11

$4.89 $4.89

17.59%

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

$1.26 AED 4.64

$1.78 $1.78

-29.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 AED 1.49

$2.47 $2.47

-83.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.76 AED 39.52

$6.07 $6.07

77.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.91 AED 40.06

$5.10 $5.10

113.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 AED 7.11

$1.12 $1.12

73.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$2.72 $2.72

-43.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 AED 8.74

$2.74 $2.74

-13.14%

Eggs

$3.56 AED 13.07

$5.00 $5.00

-28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 AED 40.32

$10.13 $10.13

8.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 AED 32.21

$6.80 $6.80

28.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.27 AED 41.37

$9.11 $9.11

23.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 AED 9.19

$5.26 $5.26

-52.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 AED 6.64

$1.88 $1.88

-3.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 AED 6.94

$5.63 $5.63

-66.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.48

$5.99 $5.99

-75.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 AED 4.15

$2.81 $2.81

-59.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 AED 5.13

$3.48 $3.48

-59.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 AED 6.85

$2.94 $2.94

-36.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 AED 2.17

$1.88 $1.88

-68.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 AED 22.51

$11.68 $11.68

-47.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 AED 50.2

$13.10 $13.10

4.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 AED 8.64

$1.78 $1.78

32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 AED 7.96

$2.52 $2.52

-13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 AED 2.58

$1.02 $1.02

-31.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.46 AED 93.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 AED 12.15

$5.61 $5.61

-41.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 AED 1.93

$0.78 $0.78

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.32 AED 30.57

$28.66 $28.66

-70.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 AED 2.98

$1.17 $1.17

-30.77%

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

$45.7K AED 167.7K

$30.6K $30.6K

49.32%

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

$22.2K AED 81.5K

$25.7K $25.7K

-13.64%

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

$143 AED 524

$159 $159

-10.27%

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

$50.7 AED 186

$52.0 $52.0

-2.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 373

$71.3 $71.3

42.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.4 AED 240

$30.86 $30.86

111.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.65 AED 127

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 AED 49.24

$5.05 $5.05

165.54%

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

$640 AED 2,352

$1,017 $1,017

-37.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K AED 45.2K

$30.6K $30.6K

-59.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 AED 210

$45.29 $45.29

26.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 AED 210

$28.66 $28.66

99.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 AED 338

$64.7 $64.7

42.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 AED 328

$115 $115

-22.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 AED 5,409

$1,082 $1,082

36.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 AED 4,042

$910 $910

20.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,047 AED 11.2K

$1,739 $1,739

75.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 AED 8,403

$1,380 $1,380

65.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,700 AED 17.3K

$2,993 $2,993

57.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,933 AED 10.8K

$2,936 $2,936

-0.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,776 AED 10.2K

$4,371 $4,371

-36.48%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Aberdeen, WA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,473 in Abu Dhabi and $1,082 in Aberdeen, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aberdeen, WA pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67.0 in Abu Dhabi vs $101 in Aberdeen, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $341 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 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Aberdeen, WA earns 57% less. 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: $1,473 in Abu Dhabi versus $1,082 in Aberdeen, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $640 in Abu Dhabi versus $1,017 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 $101 versus $67.0 in Abu Dhabi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,969 in Aberdeen, WA versus $2,216 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 13% less than in Abu Dhabi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.