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: $2,866 in Dubai versus $1,462 in Fujairah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,407 in Dubai versus $2,397 in Fujairah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,948 in Dubai versus $3,332 in Fujairah.

Living in Dubai is roughly 96% more expensive than Fujairah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 114% above, Fujairah 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 AED 39.71

$7.00 AED 25.69

54.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 AED 295

$41.28 AED 151

94.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 AED 34.55

$6.89 AED 25.29

36.72%

Cappuccino

$5.65 AED 20.73

$5.73 AED 21.04

-1.40%

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

$1.20 AED 4.39

$0.71 AED 2.62

69.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 AED 3.42

$0.51 AED 1.88

82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.01 AED 44.06

$10.72 AED 39.35

12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.51 AED 49.57

$10.38 AED 38.10

30.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 AED 7.35

$1.66 AED 6.08

20.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 AED 5.22

$1.33 AED 4.88

6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 AED 8.38

$1.72 AED 6.31

32.56%

Eggs

$3.42 AED 12.55

$2.22 AED 8.15

54.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 AED 36.99

$12.72 AED 46.67

-20.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 AED 34.40

$7.66 AED 28.11

22.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.50 AED 45.86

$15.44 AED 56.7

-19.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 AED 8.36

$2.22 AED 8.16

2.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 AED 6.87

$1.81 AED 6.65

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 AED 7.08

$1.48 AED 5.44

30.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 AED 5.43

$1.28 AED 4.68

15.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 AED 4.50

$1.02 AED 3.75

20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.61

$1.05 AED 3.85

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 AED 5.34

$1.81 AED 6.63

-19.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.50

$0.50 AED 1.82

36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 AED 24.62

$6.38 AED 23.41

5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 AED 70.2

$13.40 AED 49.18

42.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 AED 9.63

$2.60 AED 9.54

0.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 AED 13.06

$2.15 AED 7.89

65.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 AED 6.07

$1.65 AED 6.06

0.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 AED 299

$52.6 AED 193

55.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 AED 12.09

$1.54 AED 5.64

113.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.90

$0.65 AED 2.40

21.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 AED 29.09

$8.31 AED 30.48

-4.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 AED 2.88

$0.77 AED 2.84

1.30%

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

$32.5K AED 119.4K

$45.1K AED 165.6K

-27.89%

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

$22.4K AED 82.3K

$22.4K AED 82.1K

0.17%

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

$216 AED 791

$146 AED 537

47.20%

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

$63.7 AED 234

$44.07 AED 162

44.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.8 AED 366

$101 AED 369

-0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.5 AED 325

$18.52 AED 68.0

377.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.99 AED 169

$38.99 AED 143

17.95%

Cinema Ticket

$14.96 AED 54.9

$8.80 AED 32.30

70.00%

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

$851 AED 3,123

$221 AED 809

285.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K AED 52.1K

$5,217 AED 19.1K

172.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 AED 306

$118 AED 432

-29.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 AED 234

$55.0 AED 202

15.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 AED 406

$136 AED 499

-18.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 442

$137 AED 504

-12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,377 AED 8,724

$552 AED 2,026

330.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 AED 5,740

$410 AED 1,503

281.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,541 AED 16.7K

$1,518 AED 5,572

199.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,017 AED 11.1K

$1,101 AED 4,041

173.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,203 AED 26.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,090 AED 15.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,088 AED 15.0K

$3,647 AED 13.4K

12.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.88

-7.99%

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

Last update for Dubai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,377 in Dubai and $552 in Fujairah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 12% 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: $80.0 in Dubai vs $41.00 in Fujairah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $265 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Dubai pays 12% more on average, 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: $2,377 in Dubai versus $552 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 55% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $851 in Dubai versus $221 in Fujairah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,462 in Fujairah versus $2,866 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.