Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Al Fujayrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Al Fujayrah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,596 in Abu Dhabi versus $3,277 in Al Fujayrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,888 in Abu Dhabi versus $4,772 in Al Fujayrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,179 in Abu Dhabi versus $6,267 in Al Fujayrah.

Living in Abu Dhabi costs roughly 21% less than in Al Fujayrah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abu Dhabi 90% above, Al Fujayrah 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 AED 31.45

$7.98 AED 29.31

7.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 AED 201

$59.2 AED 217

-7.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 AED 34.04

$9.40 AED 34.53

-1.38%

Cappuccino

$5.89 AED 21.65

$5.86 AED 21.51

0.51%

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

$1.13 AED 4.15

$1.45 AED 5.33

-22.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.62

$0.56 AED 2.06

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.69 AED 39.25

$13.44 AED 49.37

-20.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.82 AED 39.72

$13.83 AED 50.8

-21.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 AED 7.02

$1.74 AED 6.39

9.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 AED 5.55

$1.15 AED 4.23

31.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 AED 8.05

$2.43 AED 8.94

-9.88%

Eggs

$3.51 AED 12.91

$3.38 AED 12.42

3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 AED 45.85

$5.44 AED 19.97

129.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 AED 37.86

$5.43 AED 19.94

89.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.41 AED 38.22

$7.86 AED 28.85

32.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 AED 9.25

$1.81 AED 6.64

39.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 AED 7.53

$1.35 AED 4.96

51.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 AED 6.96

$1.29 AED 4.73

47.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.55

$1.41 AED 5.19

7.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.32

$1.01 AED 3.71

16.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 AED 4.22

$1.00 AED 3.66

15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 AED 6.08

$1.12 AED 4.10

48.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 AED 2.12

$0.66 AED 2.41

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 AED 24.43

$6.03 AED 22.13

10.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 AED 49.81

$16.23 AED 59.6

-16.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 AED 9.72

$2.68 AED 9.83

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 AED 9.40

$3.21 AED 11.80

-20.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 AED 2.58

$2.89 AED 10.62

-75.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.38 AED 96.9

$16.06 AED 59.0

64.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 AED 12.07

$2.70 AED 9.93

21.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 AED 1.93

$0.26 AED 0.94

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 AED 30.12

$2.68 AED 9.83

205.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 AED 3.58

$0.81 AED 2.96

20.99%

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

$29.6K AED 108.8K

$26.7K AED 98.0K

10.98%

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

$22.7K AED 83.3K

$22.6K AED 83.2K

0.12%

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

$184 AED 674

$234 AED 858

-21.40%

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

$57.3 AED 211

$44.04 AED 162

30.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 AED 323

$93.0 AED 342

-5.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 AED 327

$95.0 AED 349

-6.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.33 AED 181

$30.15 AED 111

63.62%

Cinema Ticket

$15.12 AED 55.5

$9.93 AED 36.46

52.27%

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

$715 AED 2,626

$274 AED 1,007

160.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K AED 55.0K

$4,566 AED 16.8K

228.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 AED 237

$29.99 AED 110

114.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.39 AED 178

$53.5 AED 196

-9.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 AED 422

$103 AED 379

11.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 AED 425

$80.9 AED 297

43.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,997 AED 7,333

$2,396 AED 8,799

-16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 AED 5,049

$2,048 AED 7,521

-32.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,867 AED 14.2K

$5,032 AED 18.5K

-23.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,742 AED 10.1K

$4,004 AED 14.7K

-31.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,020 AED 18.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,818 AED 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,826 AED 10.4K

$3,683 AED 13.5K

-23.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

129.00%

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

Last update for Abu Dhabi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al Fujayrah: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,997 in Abu Dhabi and $2,396 in Al Fujayrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Fujayrah pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $55.0 in Abu Dhabi vs $59.0 in Al Fujayrah. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 vs $218, with Al Fujayrah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Al Fujayrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Al Fujayrah. 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: $1,997 in Abu Dhabi versus $2,396 in Al Fujayrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Abu Dhabi runs roughly 64% less than in Al Fujayrah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $715 in Abu Dhabi versus $274 in Al Fujayrah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Abu Dhabi is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Abu Dhabi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,596 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 Al Fujayrah 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 Al Fujayrah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.