Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Ajman Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Ajman

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,216 in Abu Dhabi versus $2,803 in Ajman.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,511 in Abu Dhabi versus $5,201 in Ajman.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,805 in Abu Dhabi versus $7,599 in Ajman.

Living in Abu Dhabi costs roughly 21% less than in Ajman, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abu Dhabi 65% above, Ajman 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 AED 40.04

$6.12 AED 22.47

78.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 AED 247

$26.83 AED 98.6

150.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 AED 34.77

$7.98 AED 29.31

18.67%

Cappuccino

$5.75 AED 21.11

$3.71 AED 13.62

54.99%

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

$1.26 AED 4.64

$0.83 AED 3.06

51.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 AED 1.49

$0.38 AED 1.38

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.76 AED 39.52

$11.04 AED 40.55

-2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.91 AED 40.07

$10.79 AED 39.64

1.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 AED 7.12

$2.27 AED 8.33

-14.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$1.17 AED 4.30

32.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 AED 8.75

$1.39 AED 5.10

71.22%

Eggs

$3.56 AED 13.07

$1.87 AED 6.88

90.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 AED 40.32

$8.91 AED 32.73

23.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 AED 32.22

$6.60 AED 24.24

32.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.27 AED 41.38

$7.63 AED 28.04

47.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 AED 9.19

$1.65 AED 6.05

51.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 AED 6.64

$1.24 AED 4.56

45.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 AED 6.94

$1.46 AED 5.36

29.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.49

$1.09 AED 4.02

36.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 AED 4.15

$0.97 AED 3.58

16.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 AED 5.13

$1.02 AED 3.74

37.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 AED 6.85

$0.74 AED 2.73

151.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 AED 2.17

$0.62 AED 2.28

-4.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 AED 22.52

$6.28 AED 23.05

-2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 AED 50.2

$10.81 AED 39.70

26.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 AED 8.64

$1.61 AED 5.90

45.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 AED 7.96

$2.67 AED 9.82

-18.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 AED 2.58

$4.20 AED 15.42

-83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.46 AED 93.5

$63.0 AED 231

-59.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 AED 12.15

$3.44 AED 12.63

-3.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 AED 1.93

$0.69 AED 2.54

-24.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.32 AED 30.57

$8.09 AED 29.73

2.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 AED 2.98

$0.76 AED 2.80

6.58%

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

$45.7K AED 167.7K

$45.7K AED 167.9K

-0.13%

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

$22.2K AED 81.5K

$23.4K AED 85.8K

-4.98%

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

$143 AED 524

$137 AED 504

4.06%

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

$50.7 AED 186

$61.1 AED 225

-17.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 373

$109 AED 399

-6.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.4 AED 240

$167 AED 614

-60.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.65 AED 127

$3.71 AED 13.64

833.96%

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 AED 49.24

$13.46 AED 49.45

-0.37%

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

$640 AED 2,352

$579 AED 2,128

10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K AED 45.2K

$5,805 AED 21.3K

111.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 AED 210

$59.5 AED 219

-3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 AED 210

$62.1 AED 228

-7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 AED 338

$84.9 AED 312

8.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 AED 328

$92.3 AED 339

-3.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 AED 5,410

$3,307 AED 12.1K

-55.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 AED 4,043

$1,654 AED 6,077

-33.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,047 AED 11.2K

$5,611 AED 20.6K

-45.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 AED 8,404

$5,281 AED 19.4K

-56.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,700 AED 17.3K

$2,266 AED 8,325

107.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,933 AED 10.8K

$1,429 AED 5,248

105.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,776 AED 10.2K

$2,279 AED 8,369

21.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.19

4.53

14.57%

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

Last update for Abu Dhabi: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ajman: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,473 in Abu Dhabi and $3,307 in Ajman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abu Dhabi pays 22% 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 $27.00 in Ajman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $207 per month, with Ajman 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 Ajman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abu Dhabi wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Ajman. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Abu Dhabi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Abu Dhabi pays 22% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,473 in Abu Dhabi versus $3,307 in Ajman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Abu Dhabi runs roughly 148% less than in Ajman. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $640 in Abu Dhabi versus $579 in Ajman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,216 in Abu Dhabi versus $2,803 in Ajman, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Abu Dhabi but tight or insufficient in Ajman. The gap between the two cities makes Abu Dhabi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Abu Dhabi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,216 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Abu Dhabi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Abu Dhabi and Ajman 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 Abu Dhabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Ajman. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.