Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $2,889 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $33,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

139

Cost of Living Index in Dubai
Learn more

Dubai Living Index

Jump to prices

Dubai

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$2,889

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dubai and in Maharagama

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 Maharagama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,889 in Dubai versus $131 in Maharagama.

Dubai $2,889
Maharagama $131

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,444 in Dubai versus $246 in Maharagama.

Dubai $4,444
Maharagama $246

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Dubai versus $361 in Maharagama.

Dubai $5,999
Maharagama $361

Living in Dubai is roughly 2110% more expensive than in Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dubai is 114% above, Maharagama is 90% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 AED 47.54

$5.30 LKR 1,761

144.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.2 AED 306

$20.24 LKR 6,731

311.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 AED 34.32

$6.67 LKR 2,219

40.18%

Cappuccino

$5.88 AED 21.59

$2.11 LKR 702

178.67%

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

$1.57 AED 5.77

$0.64 LKR 213

145.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 AED 3.47

$0.29 LKR 95.2

224.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.44 AED 49.37

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.57 AED 49.84

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 AED 6.83

$0.87 LKR 288

113.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 AED 5.73

$0.23 LKR 76.0

578.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 AED 9.68

$0.50 LKR 167

428.00%

Eggs

$3.53 AED 12.96

$1.42 LKR 473

148.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 AED 47.62

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 AED 36.51

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 AED 47.45

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 AED 9.36

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 AED 7.54

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 AED 6.77

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.64

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.31

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 AED 3.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 AED 5.75

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 AED 2.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 AED 23.17

Wine (Bottle)

$16.16 AED 59.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 AED 9.48

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 AED 10.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 AED 5.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.4 AED 303

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 AED 12.07

$0.44 LKR 146

647.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.40

$0.46 LKR 154

41.30%

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

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

$22.0K AED 81.0K

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

$239 AED 877

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

$56.9 AED 209

$4.55 LKR 1,513

1150.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.9 AED 345

$13.38 LKR 4,449

601.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.8 AED 334

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.38 AED 170

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 AED 59.6

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

$934 AED 3,429

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K AED 76.8K

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

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 AED 426

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 AED 9,134

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 AED 5,581

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,234 AED 19.2K

$198 LKR 65.9K

2540.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,028 AED 11.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,982 AED 25.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,433 AED 16.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,553 AED 13.0K

$240 LKR 79.7K

1383.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

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

Last update for Dubai: November 2, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dubai

$1.5K 52.6%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dubai

$390 13.5%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Dubai

$307 10.6%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Dubai

$297 10.3%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Dubai

$158 5.5%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Dubai

$123 4.3%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Dubai

$95 3.3%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Dubai pays about 15 times 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: $83 in Dubai vs $20 in Maharagama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $19 per month, with Maharagama cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇪 Dubai

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

09:20 9:20 AM

10:50 10:50 AM

1 h 30 min ahead of Dubai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,790,000

196,400

💱 Currency

UAE Dirham AED د.إ

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.243 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to AED – UAE Dirham Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇪 UAE Dirham (د.إ)

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.12 AED (1 AED = 0.243 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

USD to AED in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dubai Maharagama 3,320 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Dubai
Maharagama

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maharagama is about 95% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay in Dubai is about 15 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1495% higher in Dubai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maharagama – a meal for two runs $20 versus $83 in Dubai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $131 in Maharagama versus $2,889 in Dubai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Maharagama but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Maharagama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dubai and Maharagama are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Maharagama wins on affordability, Dubai on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.