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: $2,832 in Dubai versus $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,340 in Dubai versus $2,976 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,848 in Dubai versus $4,008 in Ras al-Khaimah.

Living in Dubai is roughly 46% more expensive than in Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 112% above, Ras al-Khaimah 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 AED 39.52

$13.47 AED 49.46

-20.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 AED 295

$49.37 AED 181

62.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 AED 35.87

$6.96 AED 25.56

40.37%

Cappuccino

$5.76 AED 21.15

$5.55 AED 20.37

3.78%

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

$1.19 AED 4.37

$1.32 AED 4.83

-9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 AED 3.31

$0.72 AED 2.63

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.10 AED 44.45

$10.87 AED 39.92

11.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.64 AED 50.1

$10.05 AED 36.91

35.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 AED 7.20

$1.57 AED 5.75

24.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 AED 5.25

$1.45 AED 5.32

-1.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 AED 8.00

$1.70 AED 6.24

28.24%

Eggs

$3.41 AED 12.54

$2.21 AED 8.11

54.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 AED 37.01

$12.84 AED 47.15

-21.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 AED 33.82

$7.59 AED 27.87

21.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 AED 46.59

$15.28 AED 56.1

-17.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 AED 8.66

$2.19 AED 8.03

7.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 AED 7.15

$1.76 AED 6.47

10.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 AED 6.86

$1.51 AED 5.54

23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.67

$1.31 AED 4.80

17.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 AED 4.35

$0.97 AED 3.55

22.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.03 AED 3.80

22.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 AED 5.13

$1.80 AED 6.60

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 AED 2.41

$0.51 AED 1.86

29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 AED 24.64

$6.29 AED 23.10

6.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 AED 61.1

$13.51 AED 49.60

23.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

$2.63 AED 9.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 AED 13.06

$2.96 AED 10.87

20.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 AED 6.06

$2.36 AED 8.68

-30.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 AED 306

$64.3 AED 236

29.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 AED 11.76

$1.54 AED 5.65

107.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 AED 2.97

$0.93 AED 3.41

-12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 AED 29.62

$8.41 AED 30.90

-4.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.75

$0.80 AED 2.93

-6.25%

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

$32.6K AED 119.9K

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-29.44%

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

$22.9K AED 84.0K

$22.4K AED 82.3K

2.00%

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

$215 AED 789

$149 AED 549

43.74%

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

$61.8 AED 227

$45.04 AED 165

37.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 375

$101 AED 371

1.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 AED 319

$56.3 AED 207

54.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.46 AED 171

$41.13 AED 151

12.96%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 AED 55.9

$13.44 AED 49.35

13.32%

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

$851 AED 3,126

$248 AED 912

242.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K AED 51.5K

$5,208 AED 19.1K

169.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 AED 302

$117 AED 430

-29.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 AED 228

$53.7 AED 197

15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 AED 418

$137 AED 502

-16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 439

$136 AED 498

-11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 AED 9,051

$718 AED 2,637

243.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 AED 5,751

$783 AED 2,874

100.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,655 AED 17.1K

$1,994 AED 7,322

133.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,950 AED 10.8K

$1,512 AED 5,554

95.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,113 AED 26.1K

$4,828 AED 17.7K

47.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 AED 15.1K

$1,965 AED 7,217

108.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,390 AED 12.4K

$1,571 AED 5,770

115.75%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,465 in Dubai and $718 in Ras al-Khaimah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 116% 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: $80.0 in Dubai vs $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $282 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, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 116% 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: $2,465 in Dubai versus $718 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 29% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $851 in Dubai versus $248 in Ras al-Khaimah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,832 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 46% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.