Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Fujairah Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Fujairah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,892 in Dubai versus $1,472 in Fujairah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,374 in Dubai versus $4,030 in Fujairah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,856 in Dubai versus $6,588 in Fujairah.

Living in Dubai is roughly 96% more expensive than in Fujairah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 111% above, Fujairah 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.74 AED 46.80

$7.45 AED 27.35

71.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.0 AED 301

$41.61 AED 153

97.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 AED 34.04

$7.83 AED 28.74

18.39%

Cappuccino

$5.94 AED 21.80

$5.45 AED 20.03

8.99%

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

$1.61 AED 5.90

$1.09 AED 3.99

47.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 AED 3.14

$0.40 AED 1.47

112.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.76 AED 50.5

$9.07 AED 33.30

51.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.40 AED 49.22

$9.58 AED 35.18

39.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 AED 6.37

$1.64 AED 6.03

6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 AED 5.64

$1.39 AED 5.10

10.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 AED 9.25

$1.90 AED 6.96

32.63%

Eggs

$3.38 AED 12.41

$2.40 AED 8.80

40.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 AED 44.38

$12.79 AED 46.97

-5.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 AED 33.25

$9.59 AED 35.23

-5.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 AED 48.52

$8.28 AED 30.41

59.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 AED 9.42

$1.73 AED 6.34

47.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 AED 7.29

$1.60 AED 5.88

23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 AED 6.72

$1.55 AED 5.69

18.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 AED 5.05

$0.92 AED 3.39

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 AED 4.22

$0.85 AED 3.11

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 AED 3.71

$0.93 AED 3.40

8.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 AED 5.55

$0.86 AED 3.16

75.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 AED 2.35

$0.44 AED 1.61

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.11 AED 22.44

$5.49 AED 20.16

11.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 AED 59.2

$13.58 AED 49.86

18.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 AED 9.83

$2.23 AED 8.18

20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 AED 11.86

$2.39 AED 8.78

35.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 AED 5.93

$3.29 AED 12.08

-51.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.8 AED 278

$40.28 AED 148

88.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 AED 12.19

$2.79 AED 10.26

19.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 AED 2.45

$0.53 AED 1.94

26.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.12 AED 29.83

$7.97 AED 29.29

1.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 AED 3.41

$0.88 AED 3.23

5.68%

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

$27.1K AED 99.6K

$25.9K AED 95.0K

4.77%

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

$22.0K AED 80.9K

$20.2K AED 74.4K

8.85%

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

$249 AED 916

$121 AED 446

105.46%

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

$53.7 AED 197

$44.71 AED 164

20.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.3 AED 335

$78.6 AED 289

16.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$100 AED 369

$47.12 AED 173

113.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.72 AED 168

$13.82 AED 50.8

230.82%

Cinema Ticket

$16.41 AED 60.3

$11.00 AED 40.38

49.18%

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

$852 AED 3,127

$261 AED 958

226.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K AED 66.7K

$4,449 AED 16.3K

308.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.0 AED 279

$21.47 AED 78.8

253.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 AED 210

$13.80 AED 50.7

314.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 AED 371

$73.8 AED 271

37.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 AED 363

$61.9 AED 227

59.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,377 AED 8,729

$586 AED 2,153

305.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 AED 5,464

$523 AED 1,921

184.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,436 AED 16.3K

$5,241 AED 19.2K

-15.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,920 AED 10.7K

$4,635 AED 17.0K

-37.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,883 AED 25.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,929 AED 14.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,526 AED 12.9K

$3,679 AED 13.5K

-4.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

2.5

81.60%

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

Last update for Dubai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,377 in Dubai and $586 in Fujairah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fujairah pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Dubai vs $42.00 in Fujairah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $244 per month, with Fujairah 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

Dubai vs Fujairah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fujairah is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Fujairah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,377 in Dubai versus $586 in Fujairah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Fujairah runs roughly 88% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $852 in Dubai versus $261 in Fujairah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Fujairah versus $2,892 in Dubai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Fujairah but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Fujairah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fujairah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dubai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dubai and Fujairah 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 Fujairah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.