Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Ankeny, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Ankeny, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,569 in Abu Dhabi versus $2,165 in Ankeny, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,860 in Abu Dhabi versus $3,218 in Ankeny, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,150 in Abu Dhabi versus $4,271 in Ankeny, IA.

Living in Abu Dhabi is roughly 19% more expensive than in Ankeny, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abu Dhabi 86% above, Ankeny, IA 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.26 AED 30.35

$20.06 $20.06

-58.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 AED 224

$80.3 $80.3

-23.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 AED 35.35

$11.86 $11.86

-18.80%

Cappuccino

$5.85 AED 21.47

$5.98 $5.98

-2.17%

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

$1.20 AED 4.39

$3.04 $3.04

-60.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.60

$2.57 $2.57

-82.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.61 AED 42.63

$4.96 $4.96

134.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.76 AED 39.50

$5.91 $5.91

82.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 AED 7.00

$1.22 $1.22

56.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 AED 5.76

$2.88 $2.88

-45.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 AED 7.77

$3.25 $3.25

-34.77%

Eggs

$3.38 AED 12.43

$4.03 $4.03

-16.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 AED 44.61

$9.69 $9.69

25.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.09 AED 37.06

$9.48 $9.48

6.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.50 AED 38.58

$13.66 $13.66

-23.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 AED 9.44

$4.31 $4.31

-40.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 AED 7.13

$1.48 $1.48

31.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.80

$4.47 $4.47

-58.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 AED 5.44

$3.70 $3.70

-60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 AED 4.37

$1.93 $1.93

-38.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.33

$2.62 $2.62

-54.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 AED 6.29

$2.33 $2.33

-26.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 AED 2.07

$0.66 $0.66

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 AED 24.77

$8.08 $8.08

-16.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 AED 49.49

$14.77 $14.77

-8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

$1.70 $1.70

54.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 AED 9.47

$2.21 $2.21

16.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 AED 2.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.76 AED 94.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 AED 12.20

$1.95 $1.95

70.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 AED 1.90

$1.20 $1.20

-56.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 AED 30.29

$19.95 $19.95

-58.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 AED 3.29

$0.89 $0.89

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

$30.0K AED 110.1K

$35.2K $35.2K

-14.76%

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

$22.8K AED 83.7K

$24.4K $24.4K

-6.73%

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

$182 AED 668

$204 $204

-10.78%

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

$58.4 AED 214

$66.4 $66.4

-12.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.7 AED 311

$70.5 $70.5

20.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.5 AED 336

$73.6 $73.6

24.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.31 AED 177

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 AED 55.4

$14.95 $14.95

0.94%

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

$739 AED 2,714

$1,167 $1,167

-36.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K AED 55.2K

$11.7K $11.7K

28.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 AED 239

$59.7 $59.7

9.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.33 AED 181

$43.38 $43.38

13.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 AED 400

$104 $104

5.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 AED 414

$146 $146

-22.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 AED 7,231

$954 $954

106.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 AED 4,985

$906 $906

49.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,989 AED 14.7K

$1,842 $1,842

116.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,725 AED 10.0K

$1,414 $1,414

92.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,953 AED 18.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,877 AED 10.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,905 AED 10.7K

$5,222 $5,222

-44.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

6.03

-24.05%

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

Last update for Abu Dhabi: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ankeny, IA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,969 in Abu Dhabi and $954 in Ankeny, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ankeny, IA pays 80% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Abu Dhabi vs $80.0 in Ankeny, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $325 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 Ankeny, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ankeny, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Abu Dhabi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ankeny, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 80% lower in Ankeny, IA. 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: $1,969 in Abu Dhabi versus $954 in Ankeny, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $739 in Abu Dhabi versus $1,167 in Ankeny, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ankeny, IA – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $61.0 in Abu Dhabi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,165 in Ankeny, IA versus $2,569 in Abu Dhabi, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ankeny, IA but tight or insufficient in Abu Dhabi. The gap between the two cities makes Ankeny, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ankeny, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,165 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ankeny, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Abu Dhabi and Ankeny, IA 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 Ankeny, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Abu Dhabi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.