Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Fujayrah and Abu Dhabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Fujayrah and Abu Dhabi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,277 in Al Fujayrah versus $2,596 in Abu Dhabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,772 in Al Fujayrah versus $3,888 in Abu Dhabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,267 in Al Fujayrah versus $5,179 in Abu Dhabi.

Living in Al Fujayrah is roughly 26% more expensive than in Abu Dhabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Fujayrah 140% above, Abu Dhabi 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.98 AED 29.31

$8.56 AED 31.45

-6.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 AED 217

$54.8 AED 201

8.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 AED 34.53

$9.27 AED 34.04

1.40%

Cappuccino

$5.86 AED 21.51

$5.89 AED 21.65

-0.51%

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

$1.45 AED 5.33

$1.13 AED 4.15

28.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 AED 2.06

$0.44 AED 1.62

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.44 AED 49.37

$10.69 AED 39.25

25.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.83 AED 50.8

$10.82 AED 39.72

27.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 AED 6.39

$1.91 AED 7.02

-8.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 AED 4.23

$1.51 AED 5.55

-23.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 AED 8.94

$2.19 AED 8.05

10.96%

Eggs

$3.38 AED 12.42

$3.51 AED 12.91

-3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.44 AED 19.97

$12.48 AED 45.85

-56.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 AED 19.94

$10.31 AED 37.86

-47.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 AED 28.85

$10.41 AED 38.22

-24.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 AED 6.64

$2.52 AED 9.25

-28.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 AED 4.96

$2.05 AED 7.53

-34.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 AED 4.73

$1.90 AED 6.96

-32.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 AED 5.19

$1.51 AED 5.55

-6.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 AED 3.71

$1.18 AED 4.32

-14.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.66

$1.15 AED 4.22

-13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 AED 4.10

$1.66 AED 6.08

-32.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 AED 2.41

$0.58 AED 2.12

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 AED 22.13

$6.65 AED 24.43

-9.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 AED 59.6

$13.56 AED 49.81

19.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 AED 9.83

$2.65 AED 9.72

1.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 AED 11.80

$2.56 AED 9.40

25.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 AED 10.62

$0.70 AED 2.58

312.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.06 AED 59.0

$26.38 AED 96.9

-39.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 AED 9.93

$3.29 AED 12.07

-17.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 AED 0.94

$0.52 AED 1.93

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 AED 9.83

$8.20 AED 30.12

-67.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 AED 2.96

$0.98 AED 3.58

-17.35%

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

$26.7K AED 98.0K

$29.6K AED 108.8K

-9.90%

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

$22.6K AED 83.2K

$22.7K AED 83.3K

-0.12%

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

$234 AED 858

$184 AED 674

27.23%

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

$44.04 AED 162

$57.3 AED 211

-23.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.0 AED 342

$88.0 AED 323

5.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.0 AED 349

$88.9 AED 327

6.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.15 AED 111

$49.33 AED 181

-38.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 AED 36.46

$15.12 AED 55.5

-34.33%

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

$274 AED 1,007

$715 AED 2,626

-61.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,566 AED 16.8K

$15.0K AED 55.0K

-69.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.99 AED 110

$64.4 AED 237

-53.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 AED 196

$48.39 AED 178

10.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 AED 379

$115 AED 422

-10.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 AED 297

$116 AED 425

-30.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,396 AED 8,799

$1,997 AED 7,333

19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 AED 7,521

$1,375 AED 5,049

48.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,032 AED 18.5K

$3,867 AED 14.2K

30.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,004 AED 14.7K

$2,742 AED 10.1K

46.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,020 AED 18.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,818 AED 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,683 AED 13.5K

$2,826 AED 10.4K

30.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

-56.33%

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

Last update for Al Fujayrah: September 12, 2026

Last update for Abu Dhabi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,396 in Al Fujayrah and $1,997 in Abu Dhabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Fujayrah pays 30% 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: $59.0 in Al Fujayrah vs $55.0 in Abu Dhabi. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $282, with Al Fujayrah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Fujayrah vs Abu Dhabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abu Dhabi wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Al Fujayrah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Abu Dhabi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Al Fujayrah, 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: $2,396 in Al Fujayrah versus $1,997 in Abu Dhabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Abu Dhabi runs roughly 64% less than in Al Fujayrah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $274 in Al Fujayrah versus $715 in Abu Dhabi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Abu Dhabi is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Abu Dhabi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,596 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Abu Dhabi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Al Fujayrah and Abu Dhabi 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 Abu Dhabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Al Fujayrah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.