Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, AR and Abu Dhabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, AR and Abu Dhabi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,148 in Fayetteville, AR versus $2,145 in Abu Dhabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,338 in Fayetteville, AR versus $3,465 in Abu Dhabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,528 in Fayetteville, AR versus $4,784 in Abu Dhabi.

Monthly costs are close between Fayetteville, AR and Abu Dhabi; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fayetteville, AR 61% above, Abu Dhabi 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.47 $16.47

$10.71 AED 39.32

53.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 $60.7

$67.8 AED 249

-10.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 $8.98

$9.29 AED 34.11

-3.34%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$5.99 AED 21.99

-17.53%

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

$2.08 $2.08

$1.28 AED 4.69

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.40 AED 1.48

240.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$10.70 AED 39.31

-52.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 $6.17

$10.82 AED 39.73

-42.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.01 AED 7.37

-55.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.60 AED 5.88

111.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.45 AED 9.00

26.94%

Eggs

$2.92 $2.92

$3.74 AED 13.75

-21.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 $8.08

$10.71 AED 39.32

-24.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 $8.37

$8.65 AED 31.77

-3.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.61 $13.61

$11.19 AED 41.10

21.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.48 AED 9.12

83.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.81 AED 6.63

-21.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.88 AED 6.90

42.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.45 AED 5.34

167.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.14 AED 4.18

67.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.38 AED 5.08

74.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.80 AED 6.62

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.60 AED 2.20

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.72 $8.72

$6.08 AED 22.34

43.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$13.40 AED 49.23

9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.32 AED 8.50

-25.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.17 AED 7.96

-0.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.65 AED 2.37

204.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.98 AED 95.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.34 AED 12.27

-27.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.52 AED 1.92

138.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 $24.28

$8.40 AED 30.86

189.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.80 AED 2.92

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$45.7K AED 168.0K

-48.18%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$22.5K AED 82.7K

16.55%

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

$176 $176

$143 AED 524

23.18%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$51.3 AED 189

2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$104 AED 381

-38.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.3 $71.3

$64.4 AED 237

10.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.99 AED 125

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 $12.56

$13.76 AED 50.5

-8.72%

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

$1,051 $1,051

$636 AED 2,336

65.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K $18.6K

$12.2K AED 44.8K

52.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 $54.0

$57.7 AED 212

-6.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.67 $41.67

$55.9 AED 205

-25.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 $99.8

$92.9 AED 341

7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$90.1 AED 331

29.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,562 $1,562

$1,480 AED 5,434

5.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 $1,014

$1,092 AED 4,011

-7.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,778 $2,778

$3,054 AED 11.2K

-9.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 $2,070

$2,268 AED 8,330

-8.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,648 $2,648

$4,895 AED 18.0K

-45.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,263 $2,263

$2,853 AED 10.5K

-20.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,520 $3,520

$2,873 AED 10.5K

22.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

5.19

26.78%

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

Last update for Fayetteville, AR: July 26, 2026

Last update for Abu Dhabi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,562 in Fayetteville, AR and $1,480 in Abu Dhabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fayetteville, AR pays 23% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61.0 in Fayetteville, AR vs $68.0 in Abu Dhabi. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $271, with Abu Dhabi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Fayetteville, AR vs Abu Dhabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 23% higher in Fayetteville, AR, 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: $1,562 in Fayetteville, AR versus $1,480 in Abu Dhabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Fayetteville, AR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Abu Dhabi – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $61.0 in Fayetteville, AR. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,145 in Abu Dhabi versus $2,148 in Fayetteville, AR, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Abu Dhabi but tight or insufficient in Fayetteville, AR. The gap between the two cities makes Abu Dhabi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Abu Dhabi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,145 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Abu Dhabi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fayetteville, AR and Abu Dhabi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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