Cost of Living Comparison Between Fujairah and Dubai Cost of Living Comparison Between Fujairah and Dubai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Fujairah versus $2,892 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,030 in Fujairah versus $4,374 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,588 in Fujairah versus $5,856 in Dubai.

Living in Fujairah costs roughly 49% less than in Dubai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fujairah 8% above, Dubai 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 AED 27.35

$12.74 AED 46.80

-41.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.61 AED 153

$82.0 AED 301

-49.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 AED 28.74

$9.27 AED 34.04

-15.53%

Cappuccino

$5.45 AED 20.03

$5.94 AED 21.80

-8.25%

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

$1.09 AED 3.99

$1.61 AED 5.90

-32.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 AED 1.47

$0.85 AED 3.14

-52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.07 AED 33.30

$13.76 AED 50.5

-34.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.58 AED 35.18

$13.40 AED 49.22

-28.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 AED 6.03

$1.74 AED 6.37

-5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 AED 5.10

$1.54 AED 5.64

-9.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 AED 6.96

$2.52 AED 9.25

-24.60%

Eggs

$2.40 AED 8.80

$3.38 AED 12.41

-28.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 AED 46.97

$12.08 AED 44.38

5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.59 AED 35.23

$9.06 AED 33.25

5.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 AED 30.41

$13.21 AED 48.52

-37.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 AED 6.34

$2.56 AED 9.42

-32.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 AED 5.88

$1.98 AED 7.29

-19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$1.83 AED 6.72

-15.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 AED 3.39

$1.38 AED 5.05

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 AED 3.11

$1.15 AED 4.22

-26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 AED 3.40

$1.01 AED 3.71

-7.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 AED 3.16

$1.51 AED 5.55

-43.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.61

$0.64 AED 2.35

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 AED 20.16

$6.11 AED 22.44

-10.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 AED 49.86

$16.11 AED 59.2

-15.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 AED 8.18

$2.68 AED 9.83

-16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 AED 8.78

$3.23 AED 11.86

-26.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 AED 12.08

$1.61 AED 5.93

104.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.28 AED 148

$75.8 AED 278

-46.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 AED 10.26

$3.32 AED 12.19

-15.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 AED 1.94

$0.67 AED 2.45

-20.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 AED 29.29

$8.12 AED 29.83

-1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 AED 3.23

$0.93 AED 3.41

-5.38%

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

$25.9K AED 95.0K

$27.1K AED 99.6K

-4.55%

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

$20.2K AED 74.4K

$22.0K AED 80.9K

-8.13%

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

$121 AED 446

$249 AED 916

-51.33%

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

$44.71 AED 164

$53.7 AED 197

-16.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 AED 289

$91.3 AED 335

-13.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.12 AED 173

$100 AED 369

-53.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.82 AED 50.8

$45.72 AED 168

-69.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 AED 40.38

$16.41 AED 60.3

-32.97%

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

$261 AED 958

$852 AED 3,127

-69.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,449 AED 16.3K

$18.2K AED 66.7K

-75.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.47 AED 78.8

$76.0 AED 279

-71.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.80 AED 50.7

$57.2 AED 210

-75.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 AED 271

$101 AED 371

-27.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 AED 227

$98.9 AED 363

-37.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 AED 2,153

$2,377 AED 8,729

-75.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 AED 1,921

$1,488 AED 5,464

-64.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,241 AED 19.2K

$4,436 AED 16.3K

18.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,635 AED 17.0K

$2,920 AED 10.7K

58.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,883 AED 25.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,929 AED 14.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,679 AED 13.5K

$3,526 AED 12.9K

4.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

4.54

-44.93%

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

Last update for Fujairah: September 15, 2026

Last update for Dubai: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $586 in Fujairah and $2,377 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fujairah pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Fujairah vs $82.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $288 per month, with Fujairah 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

Fujairah vs Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fujairah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Fujairah, 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: $586 in Fujairah versus $2,377 in Dubai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Fujairah runs roughly 88% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $261 in Fujairah versus $852 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Fujairah versus $2,892 in Dubai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Fujairah but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Fujairah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fujairah 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, Fujairah and Dubai 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 Fujairah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.