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: $1,461 in Fujairah versus $2,856 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,385 in Fujairah versus $4,387 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Fujairah versus $5,918 in Dubai.

Living in Fujairah costs roughly 49% less than in Dubai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fujairah 10% above, Dubai 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.87 AED 25.22

$10.98 AED 40.31

-37.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.24 AED 148

$82.3 AED 302

-51.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 AED 24.40

$9.32 AED 34.22

-28.76%

Cappuccino

$5.58 AED 20.49

$5.56 AED 20.43

0.36%

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

$0.73 AED 2.67

$1.19 AED 4.37

-38.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 AED 1.92

$0.88 AED 3.24

-40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.74 AED 39.46

$12.27 AED 45.08

-12.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 AED 37.00

$13.79 AED 50.7

-26.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 AED 6.07

$2.00 AED 7.33

-17.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 AED 4.88

$1.42 AED 5.23

-6.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 AED 6.60

$2.30 AED 8.43

-21.74%

Eggs

$2.29 AED 8.40

$3.28 AED 12.03

-30.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 AED 47.27

$9.98 AED 36.65

28.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 AED 27.95

$9.62 AED 35.32

-20.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 AED 57.3

$12.65 AED 46.46

23.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 AED 8.19

$2.31 AED 8.49

-3.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 AED 6.41

$1.88 AED 6.91

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$1.85 AED 6.81

-15.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 AED 4.85

$1.56 AED 5.74

-15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 AED 3.59

$1.18 AED 4.33

-16.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.68

$1.25 AED 4.61

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 AED 6.40

$1.39 AED 5.11

25.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 AED 1.97

$0.65 AED 2.38

-16.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 AED 23.05

$6.56 AED 24.11

-4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 AED 49.69

$16.04 AED 58.9

-15.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 AED 9.74

$2.74 AED 10.06

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 AED 7.80

$3.37 AED 12.36

-37.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 AED 6.11

$1.67 AED 6.12

-0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.7 AED 194

$82.0 AED 301

-35.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.66

$3.20 AED 11.76

-51.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.38

$0.81 AED 2.96

-19.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 AED 29.46

$8.40 AED 30.86

-4.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 AED 2.86

$0.80 AED 2.92

-2.50%

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

$45.2K AED 165.9K

$33.1K AED 121.7K

36.31%

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

$22.3K AED 82.0K

$22.8K AED 83.8K

-2.18%

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

$146 AED 537

$217 AED 798

-32.76%

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

$44.24 AED 162

$63.3 AED 232

-30.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 373

$103 AED 377

-1.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.94 AED 65.9

$86.2 AED 317

-79.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.95 AED 147

$46.02 AED 169

-13.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 AED 32.45

$15.24 AED 56.0

-41.99%

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

$219 AED 803

$849 AED 3,118

-74.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,253 AED 19.3K

$14.1K AED 51.6K

-62.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 AED 419

$81.0 AED 297

41.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 AED 200

$62.3 AED 229

-12.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 AED 510

$114 AED 420

21.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 AED 507

$120 AED 439

15.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 AED 1,966

$2,397 AED 8,804

-77.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 AED 1,516

$1,573 AED 5,778

-73.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 AED 5,461

$4,588 AED 16.9K

-67.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 AED 3,949

$2,948 AED 10.8K

-63.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,120 AED 26.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,141 AED 15.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,765 AED 13.8K

$3,464 AED 12.7K

8.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

4.49

8.69%

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

Last update for Fujairah: July 26, 2026

Last update for Dubai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $535 in Fujairah and $2,397 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fujairah pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Fujairah vs $82.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $282 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $535 in Fujairah versus $2,397 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 56% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $219 in Fujairah versus $849 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,461 in Fujairah versus $2,856 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 95% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.