Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,908 in Dubai versus $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,381 in Dubai versus $3,021 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,854 in Dubai versus $4,093 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Living in Dubai is roughly 49% more expensive than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 117% above, Ras al-Khaimah 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 AED 40.14

$13.55 AED 49.77

-19.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.7 AED 304

$49.69 AED 183

66.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 AED 34.67

$6.61 AED 24.26

42.81%

Cappuccino

$5.57 AED 20.46

$5.63 AED 20.67

-1.07%

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

$1.25 AED 4.59

$1.32 AED 4.83

-5.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 AED 3.43

$0.68 AED 2.49

36.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.04 AED 44.22

$10.99 AED 40.37

9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.78

$10.23 AED 37.59

32.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 AED 7.36

$1.63 AED 6.00

22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 AED 5.29

$1.47 AED 5.39

-2.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 AED 8.09

$1.72 AED 6.31

27.91%

Eggs

$3.46 AED 12.69

$2.31 AED 8.49

49.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 AED 37.01

$12.89 AED 47.33

-21.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 AED 34.87

$7.63 AED 28.02

24.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 AED 45.84

$15.03 AED 55.2

-16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 AED 8.49

$2.21 AED 8.13

4.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 AED 6.95

$1.80 AED 6.61

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 AED 6.74

$1.50 AED 5.50

22.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.46

$1.26 AED 4.62

18.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 AED 4.54

$0.96 AED 3.53

29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 AED 4.78

$1.00 AED 3.67

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 AED 5.30

$1.76 AED 6.45

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 AED 2.57

$0.50 AED 1.83

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 AED 23.66

$6.45 AED 23.68

-0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.61 AED 61.0

$13.55 AED 49.77

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

$2.64 AED 9.70

-0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 AED 12.59

$2.88 AED 10.56

19.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 AED 6.03

$2.34 AED 8.61

-29.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.2 AED 295

$63.0 AED 231

27.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 AED 11.83

$1.46 AED 5.35

120.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.89

$0.94 AED 3.45

-15.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 AED 29.91

$8.38 AED 30.78

-2.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 AED 2.83

$0.75 AED 2.76

2.67%

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

$32.5K AED 119.5K

$44.9K AED 164.8K

-27.51%

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

$22.6K AED 83.0K

$22.8K AED 83.8K

-0.92%

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

$219 AED 803

$148 AED 544

47.61%

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

$62.0 AED 228

$44.24 AED 162

40.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$99.6 AED 366

1.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 AED 326

$56.2 AED 207

57.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.84 AED 168

$40.33 AED 148

13.66%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 AED 56.1

$13.35 AED 49.02

14.38%

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

$849 AED 3,120

$244 AED 895

248.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K AED 51.9K

$5,084 AED 18.7K

178.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 AED 298

$116 AED 426

-30.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.9 AED 231

$53.5 AED 196

17.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 AED 416

$137 AED 503

-17.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 442

$136 AED 500

-11.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,450 AED 8,998

$720 AED 2,644

240.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 AED 5,838

$765 AED 2,810

107.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,667 AED 17.1K

$1,972 AED 7,241

136.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 AED 10.9K

$1,524 AED 5,599

94.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,138 AED 26.2K

$4,839 AED 17.8K

47.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,288 AED 15.8K

$1,944 AED 7,139

120.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,166 AED 15.3K

$1,605 AED 5,896

159.51%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,450 in Dubai and $720 in Ras al-Khaimah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 160% 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: $83.0 in Dubai vs $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $267 per month, with Ras al-Khaimah 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 Ras al-Khaimah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ras al-Khaimah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Dubai pays 160% 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: $2,450 in Dubai versus $720 in Ras al-Khaimah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ras al-Khaimah runs roughly 27% 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 $244 in Ras al-Khaimah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,908 in Dubai, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ras al-Khaimah but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Ras al-Khaimah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ras al-Khaimah 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 Ras al-Khaimah 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 Ras al-Khaimah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.