Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Ain and Benidorm Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Ain and Benidorm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Al Ain vs $1,785 in Benidorm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,380 per month in Al Ain vs $2,599 in Benidorm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,166 per month in Al Ain vs $3,413 in Benidorm, rent included.

Al Ain is about 11% cheaper than Benidorm, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Al Ain and Benidorm sit above the global median – Al Ain by 19%, Benidorm by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 AED 25.14

$15.10 €12.99

-54.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 AED 251

$51.2 €44.08

33.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 AED 29.26

$9.98 €8.58

-20.14%

Cappuccino

$4.66 AED 17.11

$2.39 €2.06

94.98%

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

$0.76 AED 2.78

$2.36 €2.03

-67.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 AED 1.27

$1.40 €1.21

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 AED 29.36

$3.50 €3.01

128.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.79 AED 39.61

$3.44 €2.96

213.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 AED 6.62

$1.15 €0.99

56.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 AED 5.47

$1.31 €1.13

13.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 AED 8.87

$1.53 €1.32

58.17%

Eggs

$3.22 AED 11.83

$2.81 €2.42

14.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.67 AED 9.80

$11.23 €9.66

-76.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.48 AED 31.15

$8.30 €7.14

2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.99 AED 25.66

$13.91 €11.97

-49.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 AED 8.86

$2.10 €1.81

14.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 AED 6.09

$1.84 €1.58

-9.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 AED 5.06

$2.09 €1.79

-33.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 AED 2.97

$2.46 €2.11

-67.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 AED 2.54

$1.81 €1.56

-61.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 AED 1.56

$1.99 €1.71

-78.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 AED 6.15

$1.10 €0.95

51.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 AED 2.19

$0.44 €0.38

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 AED 23.51

$6.08 €5.23

5.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 AED 44.87

$5.38 €4.63

127.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 AED 4.92

$1.30 €1.12

3.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 AED 8.14

$1.51 €1.30

47.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 AED 3.95

$1.88 €1.62

-42.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.19 AED 88.9

$41.01 €35.28

-41.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 AED 10.23

$3.49 €3.00

-20.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 AED 1.92

$1.22 €1.05

-57.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 AED 30.18

$24.59 €21.15

-66.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 AED 2.90

$1.76 €1.51

-55.11%

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

$45.6K AED 167.4K

$32.4K €27.9K

40.52%

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

$22.3K AED 82.1K

$32.9K €28.3K

-32.09%

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

$92.0 AED 338

$143 €123

-35.57%

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

$50.9 AED 187

$13.69 €11.78

271.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.2 AED 361

$30.06 €25.86

226.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 AED 201

$53.0 €45.63

3.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.48 AED 149

$40.39 €34.75

0.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 AED 42.58

$9.59 €8.25

20.86%

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

$624 AED 2,293

$413 €355

51.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,774 AED 13.9K

$7,506 €6,457

-49.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.82 AED 80.1

$100 €86.2

-78.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 AED 206

$28.64 €24.64

95.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 AED 288

$68.4 €58.8

14.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 AED 197

$104 €89.3

-48.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 AED 2,468

$969 €834

-30.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$741 AED 2,720

$860 €739

-13.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,098 AED 18.7K

$1,631 €1,403

212.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 AED 4,528

$1,343 €1,156

-8.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 AED 8,925

$5,376 €4,625

-54.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 AED 4,407

$2,850 €2,452

-57.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,986 AED 11.0K

$1,827 €1,572

63.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.19

3.13

65.81%

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

Last update for Al Ain: May 30, 2026

Last update for Benidorm: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $672 in Al Ain versus $969 in Benidorm. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 63% higher in Al Ain, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Al Ain versus $51.0 in Benidorm. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Al Ain vs $241 in Benidorm – so Al Ain wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Al Ain vs Benidorm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Benidorm costs about 12% more than Al Ain, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,391 per month in Al Ain and $2,677 in Benidorm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Ain, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $624 per month in Al Ain and $413 in Benidorm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Benidorm, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Ain, where all-in costs run around $1,594, than in Benidorm at $1,785. In Al Ain it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benidorm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Ain – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al Ain. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Benidorm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.