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: $2,822 in Dubai versus $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,416 in Dubai versus $2,761 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,010 in Dubai versus $3,777 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Living in Dubai is roughly 62% more expensive than in Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 105% above, Ras al-Khaimah 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.95 AED 47.55

$12.04 AED 44.22

7.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 AED 296

$45.52 AED 167

77.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 AED 34.63

$7.48 AED 27.45

26.07%

Cappuccino

$6.16 AED 22.62

$5.51 AED 20.24

11.80%

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

$1.69 AED 6.22

$1.11 AED 4.07

52.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 AED 2.87

$0.44 AED 1.60

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.45 AED 49.38

$10.06 AED 36.94

33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.65 AED 50.1

$9.78 AED 35.93

39.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 AED 6.51

$1.71 AED 6.29

3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$2.06 AED 7.56

-24.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 AED 9.40

$1.88 AED 6.91

36.17%

Eggs

$3.22 AED 11.84

$2.42 AED 8.88

33.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 AED 46.17

$12.50 AED 45.90

0.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.64 AED 35.39

$9.68 AED 35.56

-0.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 AED 49.17

$15.75 AED 57.9

-14.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 AED 9.79

$1.99 AED 7.30

34.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 AED 7.06

$1.59 AED 5.85

20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.79

$1.50 AED 5.51

23.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 AED 5.04

$1.34 AED 4.93

2.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 AED 4.21

$0.97 AED 3.56

18.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$0.92 AED 3.38

8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 AED 5.50

$1.75 AED 6.44

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.50

$0.48 AED 1.75

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 AED 21.71

$6.77 AED 24.87

-12.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.16 AED 59.4

$13.66 AED 50.2

18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 AED 10.19

$2.52 AED 9.25

9.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 AED 12.01

$2.86 AED 10.49

14.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.13

$2.13 AED 7.82

-21.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 AED 248

$112 AED 411

-39.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 AED 12.29

$1.72 AED 6.30

94.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 AED 2.46

$0.79 AED 2.89

-15.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 AED 30.34

$7.96 AED 29.23

3.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 AED 3.56

$0.89 AED 3.26

8.99%

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

$27.4K AED 100.8K

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-40.68%

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

$22.0K AED 80.8K

$21.8K AED 80.2K

0.83%

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

$250 AED 920

$124 AED 456

101.52%

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

$53.7 AED 197

$45.14 AED 166

18.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.2 AED 350

$79.6 AED 292

19.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.8 AED 356

$57.5 AED 211

68.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.40 AED 167

$40.71 AED 150

11.52%

Cinema Ticket

$16.56 AED 60.8

$13.07 AED 48.00

26.70%

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

$844 AED 3,100

$296 AED 1,086

185.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K AED 66.9K

$4,411 AED 16.2K

312.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 AED 274

$82.5 AED 303

-9.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 AED 213

$52.4 AED 192

10.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 AED 375

$127 AED 466

-19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 AED 368

$115 AED 422

-12.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 AED 9,291

$754 AED 2,768

235.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 AED 5,599

$581 AED 2,135

162.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,580 AED 16.8K

$1,642 AED 6,029

179.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,050 AED 11.2K

$1,268 AED 4,655

140.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,071 AED 26.0K

$4,911 AED 18.0K

43.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,971 AED 14.6K

$1,949 AED 7,157

103.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,440 AED 12.6K

$1,584 AED 5,818

117.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

4.92

-7.72%

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

Last update for Dubai: August 31, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,530 in Dubai and $754 in Ras al-Khaimah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 117% 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 $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $283 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 Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 117% higher in Dubai, 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: $2,530 in Dubai versus $754 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 66% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $844 in Dubai versus $296 in Ras al-Khaimah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,822 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 62% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.