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: $2,803 in Ajman versus $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,201 in Ajman versus $3,021 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,599 in Ajman versus $4,093 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Living in Ajman is roughly 44% more expensive than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ajman 109% above, Ras al-Khaimah 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.12 AED 22.47

$13.55 AED 49.77

-54.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.83 AED 98.6

$49.69 AED 183

-46.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 AED 29.31

$6.61 AED 24.26

20.73%

Cappuccino

$3.71 AED 13.62

$5.63 AED 20.67

-34.10%

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

$0.83 AED 3.06

$1.32 AED 4.83

-37.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 AED 1.38

$0.68 AED 2.49

-44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.04 AED 40.55

$10.99 AED 40.37

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.79 AED 39.64

$10.23 AED 37.59

5.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 AED 8.33

$1.63 AED 6.00

39.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 AED 4.30

$1.47 AED 5.39

-20.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 AED 5.10

$1.72 AED 6.31

-19.19%

Eggs

$1.87 AED 6.88

$2.31 AED 8.49

-19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.91 AED 32.73

$12.89 AED 47.33

-30.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 AED 24.24

$7.63 AED 28.02

-13.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 AED 28.03

$15.03 AED 55.2

-49.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 AED 6.05

$2.21 AED 8.13

-25.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 AED 4.56

$1.80 AED 6.61

-31.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 AED 5.35

$1.50 AED 5.50

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 AED 4.02

$1.26 AED 4.62

-13.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.58

$0.96 AED 3.53

1.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 AED 3.74

$1.00 AED 3.67

2.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 AED 2.73

$1.76 AED 6.45

-57.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 AED 2.28

$0.50 AED 1.83

24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 AED 23.05

$6.45 AED 23.68

-2.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 AED 39.70

$13.55 AED 49.77

-20.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 AED 5.90

$2.64 AED 9.70

-39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 AED 9.82

$2.88 AED 10.56

-7.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 AED 15.42

$2.34 AED 8.61

79.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 AED 231

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 AED 12.62

$1.46 AED 5.35

135.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 AED 2.54

$0.94 AED 3.45

-26.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 AED 29.73

$8.38 AED 30.78

-3.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 AED 2.80

$0.75 AED 2.76

1.33%

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

$45.7K AED 167.9K

$44.9K AED 164.8K

1.88%

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

$23.4K AED 85.8K

$22.8K AED 83.8K

2.39%

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

$137 AED 504

$148 AED 544

-7.41%

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

$61.1 AED 225

$44.24 AED 162

38.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$109 AED 399

$99.6 AED 366

9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$167 AED 614

$56.2 AED 207

197.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.71 AED 13.64

$40.33 AED 148

-90.80%

Cinema Ticket

$13.46 AED 49.44

$13.35 AED 49.02

0.82%

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

$579 AED 2,128

$244 AED 895

137.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,805 AED 21.3K

$5,084 AED 18.7K

14.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 AED 219

$116 AED 426

-48.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.1 AED 228

$53.5 AED 196

16.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 AED 312

$137 AED 503

-37.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 AED 339

$136 AED 500

-32.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,307 AED 12.1K

$720 AED 2,644

359.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 AED 6,076

$765 AED 2,810

116.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,611 AED 20.6K

$1,972 AED 7,241

184.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,281 AED 19.4K

$1,524 AED 5,599

246.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,266 AED 8,324

$4,839 AED 17.8K

-53.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,429 AED 5,247

$1,944 AED 7,139

-26.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,279 AED 8,369

$1,605 AED 5,896

41.94%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,307 in Ajman and $720 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 $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 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 44% 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.

Ajman pays 42% 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: $3,307 in Ajman versus $720 in Ras al-Khaimah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $579 in Ajman versus $244 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 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,803 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 $1,948 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 44% less than in Ajman. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.