Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajman and Ras al-Khaimah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajman and Ras al-Khaimah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,773 in Ajman versus $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,108 in Ajman versus $2,976 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,444 in Ajman versus $4,008 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Living in Ajman is roughly 43% more expensive than in Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ajman 108% above, Ras al-Khaimah 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 AED 22.61

$13.47 AED 49.46

-54.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.30 AED 100

$49.37 AED 181

-44.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.36 AED 30.72

$6.96 AED 25.56

20.11%

Cappuccino

$3.81 AED 13.99

$5.55 AED 20.37

-31.35%

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

$0.84 AED 3.07

$1.32 AED 4.83

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 AED 1.38

$0.72 AED 2.63

-47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.84 AED 39.81

$10.87 AED 39.92

-0.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.01 AED 40.44

$10.05 AED 36.91

9.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 AED 8.35

$1.57 AED 5.75

44.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 AED 4.30

$1.45 AED 5.32

-19.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 AED 5.18

$1.70 AED 6.24

-17.06%

Eggs

$1.81 AED 6.65

$2.21 AED 8.11

-18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 AED 33.77

$12.84 AED 47.15

-28.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 AED 24.56

$7.59 AED 27.87

-11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 AED 27.54

$15.28 AED 56.1

-50.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 AED 6.11

$2.19 AED 8.03

-24.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.76 AED 6.47

-28.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 AED 5.29

$1.51 AED 5.54

-4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 AED 3.82

$1.31 AED 4.80

-20.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 AED 3.44

$0.97 AED 3.55

-3.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 AED 3.72

$1.03 AED 3.80

-1.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 AED 2.94

$1.80 AED 6.60

-55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 AED 2.08

$0.51 AED 1.86

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 AED 22.86

$6.29 AED 23.10

-1.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 AED 40.75

$13.51 AED 49.60

-17.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 AED 5.92

$2.63 AED 9.67

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 AED 10.03

$2.96 AED 10.87

-7.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.15 AED 15.24

$2.36 AED 8.68

75.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 AED 232

$64.3 AED 236

-1.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 AED 13.33

$1.54 AED 5.65

135.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 AED 2.53

$0.93 AED 3.41

-25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 AED 30.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 AED 2.82

$0.80 AED 2.93

-3.75%

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

$45.0K AED 165.2K

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-2.75%

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

$23.7K AED 86.9K

$22.4K AED 82.3K

5.55%

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

$140 AED 516

$149 AED 549

-5.98%

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

$60.7 AED 223

$45.04 AED 165

34.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 AED 403

$101 AED 371

8.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$164 AED 601

$56.3 AED 207

190.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.56 AED 13.06

$41.13 AED 151

-91.34%

Cinema Ticket

$13.85 AED 50.9

$13.44 AED 49.35

3.05%

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

$597 AED 2,192

$248 AED 912

140.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,646 AED 20.7K

$5,208 AED 19.1K

8.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 AED 215

$117 AED 430

-50.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 AED 227

$53.7 AED 197

14.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 AED 312

$137 AED 502

-37.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 AED 342

$136 AED 498

-31.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,295 AED 12.1K

$718 AED 2,637

358.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 AED 6,077

$783 AED 2,874

111.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,671 AED 20.8K

$1,994 AED 7,322

184.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,335 AED 19.6K

$1,512 AED 5,554

252.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,279 AED 8,370

$4,828 AED 17.7K

-52.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,413 AED 5,190

$1,965 AED 7,217

-28.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,235 AED 8,207

$1,571 AED 5,770

42.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.88

-7.17%

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

Last update for Ajman: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,295 in Ajman and $718 in Ras al-Khaimah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ajman pays 42% 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: $27.00 in Ajman vs $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $267 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

Ajman vs Ras al-Khaimah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ras al-Khaimah wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Ajman. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ras al-Khaimah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Ajman, 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: $3,295 in Ajman versus $718 in Ras al-Khaimah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $597 in Ajman versus $248 in Ras al-Khaimah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ajman pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,773 in Ajman, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ras al-Khaimah but tight or insufficient in Ajman. The gap between the two cities makes Ras al-Khaimah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ras al-Khaimah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,943 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ras al-Khaimah hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ajman and Ras al-Khaimah 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 Ras al-Khaimah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Ajman. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.