Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Oxford, MS

For one person, living is cheaper in Oxford, MS: $2,371 a month against $2,599 in Abu Dhabi, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Oxford, MS, United States
Abu Dhabi
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
$2,599
/mo nomad
Oxford, MS
🇺🇸 United States
$2,371
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abu Dhabi and in Oxford, MS

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Abu Dhabi and in Oxford, MS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,599 in Abu Dhabi versus $2,371 in Oxford, MS.

  • Abu Dhabi $2,599
  • Oxford, MS $2,371

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,887 in Abu Dhabi versus $3,947 in Oxford, MS.

  • Abu Dhabi $3,887
  • Oxford, MS $3,947

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,175 in Abu Dhabi versus $5,523 in Oxford, MS.

  • Abu Dhabi $5,175
  • Oxford, MS $5,523

Living in Abu Dhabi is roughly 10% more expensive than in Oxford, MS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abu Dhabi 91% above, Oxford, MS 74% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abu Dhabi
Oxford, MS
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 AED 29.72
$16.95 $16.95
-52.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.1 AED 202
$59.7 $59.7
-7.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.89 AED 36.32
$11.20 $11.20
-11.70%
Cappuccino
$6.08 AED 22.33
$5.13 $5.13
18.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20 AED 4.39
$1.50 $1.50
-20.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 AED 1.57
$1.89 $1.89
-77.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.73 AED 39.41
$4.47 $4.47
140.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$11.04 AED 40.54
$7.02 $7.02
57.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abu Dhabi
Oxford, MS
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 AED 7.04
$0.86 $0.86
123.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 AED 5.87
$3.18 $3.18
-49.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 AED 8.36
$2.59 $2.59
-11.97%
Eggs
$3.57 AED 13.11
$4.02 $4.02
-11.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.50 AED 42.25
$9.37 $9.37
22.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.92 AED 36.43
$11.37 $11.37
-12.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.03 AED 36.83
$15.38 $15.38
-34.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.52 AED 9.24
$3.94 $3.94
-36.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.11 AED 7.75
$1.41 $1.41
49.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 AED 6.97
$3.33 $3.33
-42.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 AED 5.84
$3.11 $3.11
-48.87%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 AED 4.57
$2.51 $2.51
-50.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 AED 4.45
$2.26 $2.26
-46.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.61 AED 5.91
$1.81 $1.81
-11.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 AED 2.13
$1.91 $1.91
-69.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.50 AED 23.86
$7.39 $7.39
-12.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 AED 49.27
$12.12 $12.12
10.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.56 AED 9.39
$1.71 $1.71
49.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 AED 9.26
$3.20 $3.20
-21.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Abu Dhabi
Oxford, MS
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 AED 2.59
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.62 AED 94.1
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.32 AED 12.21
$4.37 $4.37
-24.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 AED 1.91
$1.85 $1.85
-71.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.01 AED 29.42
$32.48 $32.48
-75.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 AED 3.63
$0.74 $0.74
33.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.7K AED 94.4K
$30.3K $30.3K
-15.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.2K AED 78.0K
$25.7K $25.7K
-17.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abu Dhabi
Oxford, MS
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 AED 696
$139 $139
36.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.1 AED 217
$49.93 $49.93
18.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$91.4 AED 336
$67.9 $67.9
34.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abu Dhabi
Oxford, MS
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$91.4 AED 336
$24.84 $24.84
267.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.59 AED 149
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.47 AED 60.5
$11.82 $11.82
39.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abu Dhabi
Oxford, MS
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$843 AED 3,098
$1,552 $1,552
-45.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K AED 54.1K
$8,269 $8,269
78.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abu Dhabi
Oxford, MS
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.9 AED 227
$61.7 $61.7
0.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.12 AED 177
$53.5 $53.5
-10.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 AED 414
$88.0 $88.0
27.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 AED 412
$169 $169
-33.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abu Dhabi
Oxford, MS
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,995 AED 7,327
$1,308 $1,308
52.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,422 AED 5,222
$1,267 $1,267
12.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,780 AED 13.9K
$3,163 $3,163
19.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,693 AED 9,889
$3,078 $3,078
-12.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,416 AED 19.9K
$3,287 $3,287
64.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,584 AED 13.2K
$2,920 $2,920
22.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abu Dhabi
Oxford, MS
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,102 AED 11.4K
$4,833 $4,833
-35.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.55
6.65
-31.58%

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

Last update for Abu Dhabi: October 24, 2026

Last update for Oxford, MS: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Abu Dhabi
$1.4K
Oxford, MS
$1.3K 10.9% $155
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abu Dhabi
$340
Oxford, MS
$257 24.5% $83
Groceries & Markets
Abu Dhabi
$278
Oxford, MS
$336 21.2% $59
Eating Out
Abu Dhabi
$250
Oxford, MS
$281 12.5% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Abu Dhabi
$151
Oxford, MS
$168 11.2% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Abu Dhabi
$124
Oxford, MS
$48 61% $76
Getting Around
Abu Dhabi
$34
Oxford, MS
$14 * 60.4% $21

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Abu Dhabi and $1,308 in Oxford, MS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oxford, MS pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $55 in Abu Dhabi vs $60 in Oxford, MS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $336 per month, with Abu Dhabi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi
🇺🇸 Oxford, MS
🕒 Local time
22:59 10:59 PM
13:59 1:59 PM
9 h behind Abu Dhabi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
921,000 Capital
23,639
💱 Currency
UAE Dirham AED د.إ
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AED – UAE Dirham Converter

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.09 AED (1 AED = 0.245 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Abu Dhabi Oxford, MS 12,450 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Abu Dhabi
  • Oxford, MS

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Oxford, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Abu Dhabi or Oxford, MS?
Oxford, MS wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Abu Dhabi. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Oxford, MS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Abu Dhabi or in Oxford, MS?
On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Abu Dhabi. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Abu Dhabi compared to Oxford, MS?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,995 in Abu Dhabi versus $1,308 in Oxford, MS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Abu Dhabi and in Oxford, MS?
Childcare runs $843 in Abu Dhabi versus $1,552 in Oxford, MS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Abu Dhabi and in Oxford, MS?
Dining out is cheaper in Abu Dhabi – a meal for two runs $55 versus $60 in Oxford, MS. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Abu Dhabi or in Oxford, MS?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Oxford, MS is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Abu Dhabi or Oxford, MS?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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