Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Aba

For one person, living is cheaper in Aba: $404 a month against $2,889 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $29,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Dubai
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Dubai Living Index

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Dubai

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$2,889

/mo nomad

Aba

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$404

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dubai and in Aba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dubai and in Aba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,889 per month in Dubai vs $404 in Aba, rent included.

Dubai $2,889
Aba $404

A couple spends around $4,444 per month in Dubai vs $656 in Aba, rent included.

Dubai $4,444
Aba $656

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Dubai vs $907 in Aba, rent included.

Dubai $5,999
Aba $907

Dubai costs about 614% more than Aba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Dubai sits 114% above the global median, while Aba is 70% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 AED 47.54

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.2 AED 306

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 AED 34.32

$7.34 ₦9,873

27.38%

Cappuccino

$5.88 AED 21.60

$0.85 ₦1,148

591.76%

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

$1.57 AED 5.77

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 AED 3.47

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.44 AED 49.38

$2.03 ₦2,733

562.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.57 AED 49.84

$2.41 ₦3,242

463.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 AED 6.83

$3.81 ₦5,124

-51.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 AED 5.73

$2.19 ₦2,949

-28.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 AED 9.68

Eggs

$3.53 AED 12.96

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 AED 47.62

$11.14 ₦15.0K

16.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 AED 36.51

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 AED 47.45

$1.26 ₦1,699

925.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 AED 9.36

$5.30 ₦7,131

-51.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 AED 7.54

$0.55 ₦744

272.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 AED 6.77

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.64

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.31

$3.47 ₦4,669

-66.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 AED 3.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$1.13 ₦1,524

38.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 AED 2.46

$0.13 ₦172

415.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 AED 23.17

$1.45 ₦1,951

335.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.16 AED 59.4

$7.45 ₦10.0K

116.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 AED 9.48

$1.30 ₦1,753

98.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 AED 10.60

$1.45 ₦1,951

99.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 AED 5.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.4 AED 303

$9.43 ₦12.7K

774.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 AED 12.07

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 AED 29.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 AED 3.68

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

$26.3K AED 96.6K

$5,970 ₦8.0M

340.48%

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

$22.0K AED 81.0K

$7,485 ₦10.1M

194.54%

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

$239 AED 877

$113 ₦152.1K

111.25%

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

$56.9 AED 209

$2.22 ₦2,979

2462.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.9 AED 345

$45.26 ₦60.9K

107.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.8 AED 334

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.38 AED 170

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 AED 59.6

$2.12 ₦2,854

666.04%

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

$934 AED 3,429

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K AED 76.8K

$1,080 ₦1.5M

1837.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 AED 260

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 AED 225

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 AED 377

$14.79 ₦19.9K

594.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 AED 426

$18.81 ₦25.3K

517.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 AED 9,134

$135 ₦181.0K

1748.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 AED 5,581

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,234 AED 19.2K

$452 ₦608.4K

1056.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,028 AED 11.1K

$219 ₦295.1K

1279.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,982 AED 25.6K

$1,094 ₦1.5M

538.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,433 AED 16.3K

$469 ₦630.3K

845.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,553 AED 13.0K

$95.5 ₦128.4K

3621.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

-61.92%

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

Last update for Dubai: November 2, 2026

Last update for Aba: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dubai

$1.5K 52.6%

Aba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dubai

$390 13.5%

Aba

–

Eating Out

Dubai

$307 10.6%

Aba

–

Groceries & Markets

Dubai

$297 10.3%

Aba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Dubai

$158 5.5%

Aba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Dubai

$123 4.3%

Aba

–

Getting Around

Dubai

$95 3.3%

Aba

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,487 in Dubai versus $135 in Aba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Dubai are about 37 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇦🇪 Dubai

🇳🇬 Aba

🕒 Local time

22:21 10:21 PM

19:21 7:21 PM

3 h behind Dubai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,790,000

1,020,900

💱 Currency

UAE Dirham AED د.إ

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.242 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.62 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NGN, USD, EUR to AED – UAE Dirham Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇪 UAE Dirham (د.إ)

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.13 AED (1 AED = 0.242 EUR).

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1,345 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,511 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.62 EUR).

USD to AED in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dubai Aba 5,550 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Dubai
Aba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Dubai vs Aba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dubai is pricier by about 614%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,333 per month in Dubai and $607 in Aba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aba, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $135 there versus $2,487 in Dubai.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Dubai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Public transport costs about 89% less in Aba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aba, where all-in costs run around $404, than in Dubai at $2,889. In Aba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Dubai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $404 in Aba to $2,889 in Dubai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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