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: $2,920 in Dubai versus $1,463 in Fujairah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,366 in Dubai versus $2,413 in Fujairah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,813 in Dubai versus $3,363 in Fujairah.

Living in Dubai is roughly 100% more expensive than Fujairah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 117% above, Fujairah 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 AED 40.07

$6.92 AED 25.43

57.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 AED 298

$41.04 AED 151

97.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 AED 35.78

$6.96 AED 25.58

39.94%

Cappuccino

$5.43 AED 19.96

$5.81 AED 21.32

-6.54%

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

$1.19 AED 4.38

$0.79 AED 2.88

50.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 AED 3.30

$0.52 AED 1.90

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.22 AED 44.88

$10.86 AED 39.90

12.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.69 AED 50.3

$10.14 AED 37.24

35.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 AED 7.33

$1.57 AED 5.76

27.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 AED 5.01

$1.33 AED 4.87

2.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 AED 8.30

$1.71 AED 6.29

32.16%

Eggs

$3.32 AED 12.19

$2.31 AED 8.49

43.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 AED 36.77

$12.95 AED 47.58

-22.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 AED 34.94

$7.75 AED 28.47

22.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 AED 45.47

$15.24 AED 56.0

-18.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 AED 8.42

$2.28 AED 8.38

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 AED 6.82

$1.75 AED 6.42

6.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 AED 7.08

$1.51 AED 5.54

27.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 AED 5.62

$1.26 AED 4.63

21.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 AED 4.40

$1.03 AED 3.77

16.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.04 AED 3.80

21.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 AED 5.26

$1.76 AED 6.46

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 AED 2.58

$0.54 AED 1.97

29.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 AED 24.22

$6.32 AED 23.23

4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.19 AED 59.5

$13.83 AED 50.8

17.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 AED 9.56

$2.63 AED 9.65

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 AED 13.00

$2.21 AED 8.12

60.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.12

$1.60 AED 5.86

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.3 AED 306

$53.3 AED 196

56.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 AED 12.09

$1.47 AED 5.39

123.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.88

$0.70 AED 2.59

12.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 AED 30.28

$8.26 AED 30.34

-0.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 AED 2.67

$0.74 AED 2.72

-1.35%

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

$32.3K AED 118.8K

$45.9K AED 168.5K

-29.50%

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

$23.1K AED 84.8K

$22.0K AED 81.0K

4.77%

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

$218 AED 802

$147 AED 539

48.86%

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

$62.2 AED 228

$45.22 AED 166

37.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 373

$100 AED 368

1.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 AED 323

$18.47 AED 67.9

375.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.68 AED 168

$39.53 AED 145

15.56%

Cinema Ticket

$14.91 AED 54.8

$8.62 AED 31.66

72.97%

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

$829 AED 3,044

$221 AED 813

274.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K AED 52.3K

$5,275 AED 19.4K

170.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.0 AED 301

$117 AED 429

-29.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 AED 232

$55.4 AED 203

13.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 AED 412

$134 AED 492

-16.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 AED 443

$138 AED 507

-12.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 AED 8,980

$543 AED 1,993

350.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 AED 5,824

$415 AED 1,524

282.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,500 AED 16.5K

$1,523 AED 5,595

195.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,984 AED 11.0K

$1,081 AED 3,972

175.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,337 AED 26.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,322 AED 15.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,152 AED 15.3K

$3,671 AED 13.5K

13.12%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Dubai and $543 in Fujairah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 13% 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: $81.0 in Dubai vs $41.00 in Fujairah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $266 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 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Dubai pays 13% 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: $2,445 in Dubai versus $543 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 $829 in Dubai versus $221 in Fujairah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,463 in Fujairah versus $2,920 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 100% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.