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: $2,856 in Dubai versus $1,461 in Fujairah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,387 in Dubai versus $2,385 in Fujairah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,918 in Dubai versus $3,310 in Fujairah.

Living in Dubai is roughly 95% more expensive than in Fujairah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 115% above, Fujairah 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.98 AED 40.31

$6.87 AED 25.22

59.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.3 AED 302

$40.24 AED 148

104.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 AED 34.22

$6.64 AED 24.40

40.36%

Cappuccino

$5.56 AED 20.43

$5.58 AED 20.49

-0.36%

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

$1.19 AED 4.37

$0.73 AED 2.67

63.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 AED 3.24

$0.52 AED 1.92

69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.27 AED 45.08

$10.74 AED 39.46

14.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.79 AED 50.7

$10.07 AED 37.00

36.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 AED 7.33

$1.65 AED 6.07

21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 AED 5.23

$1.33 AED 4.88

6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 AED 8.43

$1.80 AED 6.60

27.78%

Eggs

$3.28 AED 12.03

$2.29 AED 8.40

43.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 AED 36.65

$12.87 AED 47.27

-22.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.62 AED 35.32

$7.61 AED 27.95

26.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 AED 46.46

$15.61 AED 57.3

-18.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 AED 8.49

$2.23 AED 8.19

3.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 AED 6.91

$1.74 AED 6.41

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.81

$1.57 AED 5.75

17.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 AED 5.74

$1.32 AED 4.85

18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.33

$0.98 AED 3.59

20.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 AED 4.61

$1.00 AED 3.68

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 AED 5.11

$1.74 AED 6.40

-20.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 AED 2.38

$0.54 AED 1.97

20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 AED 24.11

$6.28 AED 23.05

4.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.04 AED 58.9

$13.53 AED 49.69

18.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 AED 10.06

$2.65 AED 9.74

3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 AED 12.36

$2.12 AED 7.80

58.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.12

$1.66 AED 6.11

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.0 AED 301

$52.7 AED 194

55.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 AED 11.76

$1.54 AED 5.66

107.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 AED 2.96

$0.65 AED 2.38

24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 AED 30.86

$8.02 AED 29.46

4.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 AED 2.92

$0.78 AED 2.86

2.56%

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

$33.1K AED 121.7K

$45.2K AED 165.9K

-26.64%

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

$22.8K AED 83.8K

$22.3K AED 82.0K

2.23%

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

$217 AED 798

$146 AED 537

48.72%

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

$63.3 AED 232

$44.24 AED 162

43.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 AED 377

$102 AED 373

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.2 AED 317

$17.94 AED 65.9

380.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.02 AED 169

$39.95 AED 147

15.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 AED 56.0

$8.84 AED 32.45

72.40%

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

$849 AED 3,118

$219 AED 803

288.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K AED 51.6K

$5,253 AED 19.3K

167.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 AED 297

$114 AED 419

-29.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 AED 229

$54.4 AED 200

14.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 AED 420

$139 AED 510

-17.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 439

$138 AED 507

-13.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,397 AED 8,804

$535 AED 1,966

347.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 AED 5,778

$413 AED 1,516

281.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,588 AED 16.9K

$1,487 AED 5,461

208.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,948 AED 10.8K

$1,075 AED 3,949

174.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,120 AED 26.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,141 AED 15.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,464 AED 12.7K

$3,765 AED 13.8K

-7.98%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,397 in Dubai and $535 in Fujairah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fujairah pays 9% 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 $40.00 in Fujairah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $282 vs $267 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 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% 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: $2,397 in Dubai versus $535 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 56% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $849 in Dubai versus $219 in Fujairah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,461 in Fujairah versus $2,856 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 95% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.