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: $2,458 in Ajman versus $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,549 in Ajman versus $2,761 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,640 in Ajman versus $3,777 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Living in Ajman is roughly 41% more expensive than in Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ajman 79% above, Ras al-Khaimah 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.64 AED 20.71

$12.04 AED 44.22

-53.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.31 AED 100

$45.52 AED 167

-40.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 AED 29.56

$7.48 AED 27.45

7.62%

Cappuccino

$3.72 AED 13.66

$5.51 AED 20.24

-32.49%

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

$0.74 AED 2.71

$1.11 AED 4.07

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 AED 1.44

$0.44 AED 1.60

-11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.98 AED 40.34

$10.06 AED 36.94

9.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.09 AED 44.39

$9.78 AED 35.93

23.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 AED 6.99

$1.71 AED 6.29

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 AED 4.90

$2.06 AED 7.56

-35.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 AED 5.40

$1.88 AED 6.91

-21.81%

Eggs

$1.97 AED 7.24

$2.42 AED 8.88

-18.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 AED 27.83

$12.50 AED 45.90

-39.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 AED 20.34

$9.68 AED 35.56

-42.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 AED 30.57

$15.75 AED 57.9

-47.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 AED 6.94

$1.99 AED 7.30

-5.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.61

$1.59 AED 5.85

-20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.54

$1.50 AED 5.51

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 AED 3.27

$1.34 AED 4.93

-33.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 AED 3.85

$0.97 AED 3.56

8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 AED 3.81

$0.92 AED 3.38

13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 AED 3.05

$1.75 AED 6.44

-52.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 AED 1.92

$0.48 AED 1.75

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 AED 23.51

$6.77 AED 24.87

-5.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 AED 39.46

$13.66 AED 50.2

-21.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 AED 6.08

$2.52 AED 9.25

-34.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 AED 8.14

$2.86 AED 10.49

-22.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 AED 14.74

$2.13 AED 7.82

88.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 AED 250

$112 AED 411

-39.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 AED 13.15

$1.72 AED 6.30

108.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.38

$0.79 AED 2.89

-17.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.12 AED 29.84

$7.96 AED 29.23

2.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 AED 3.15

$0.89 AED 3.26

-3.37%

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

$46.3K AED 170.1K

$46.3K AED 169.9K

0.13%

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

$22.1K AED 81.3K

$21.8K AED 80.2K

1.36%

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

$148 AED 543

$124 AED 456

19.02%

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

$48.82 AED 179

$45.14 AED 166

8.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.5 AED 310

$79.6 AED 292

6.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.2 AED 291

$57.5 AED 211

37.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.80 AED 35.99

$40.71 AED 150

-75.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 AED 49.33

$13.07 AED 48.00

2.75%

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

$490 AED 1,800

$296 AED 1,086

65.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,782 AED 21.2K

$4,411 AED 16.2K

31.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 AED 212

$82.5 AED 303

-30.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 AED 226

$52.4 AED 192

17.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 AED 306

$127 AED 466

-34.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 AED 343

$115 AED 422

-18.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,524 AED 9,268

$754 AED 2,768

234.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 AED 5,230

$581 AED 2,135

145.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 AED 6,717

$1,642 AED 6,029

11.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,513 AED 16.6K

$1,268 AED 4,655

256.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,234 AED 8,203

$4,911 AED 18.0K

-54.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,401 AED 5,146

$1,949 AED 7,157

-28.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,265 AED 8,319

$1,584 AED 5,818

42.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.92

1.63%

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

Last update for Ajman: August 30, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,524 in Ajman and $754 in Ras al-Khaimah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ajman pays 43% 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 $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $283 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 41% 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 43% 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: $2,524 in Ajman versus $754 in Ras al-Khaimah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $490 in Ajman versus $296 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 43% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,458 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 $1,745 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 41% less than in Ajman. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.