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: $1,462 in Fujairah versus $2,866 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,397 in Fujairah versus $4,407 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,332 in Fujairah versus $5,948 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 9% above, Dubai 114% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 AED 25.69

$10.82 AED 39.71

-35.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.28 AED 151

$80.4 AED 295

-48.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 AED 25.29

$9.42 AED 34.55

-26.86%

Cappuccino

$5.73 AED 21.04

$5.65 AED 20.73

1.42%

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

$0.71 AED 2.62

$1.20 AED 4.39

-40.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 AED 1.88

$0.93 AED 3.42

-45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.72 AED 39.35

$12.01 AED 44.06

-10.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.38 AED 38.10

$13.51 AED 49.57

-23.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 AED 6.08

$2.00 AED 7.35

-17.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 AED 4.88

$1.42 AED 5.22

-6.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 AED 6.31

$2.28 AED 8.38

-24.56%

Eggs

$2.22 AED 8.15

$3.42 AED 12.55

-35.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 AED 46.67

$10.08 AED 36.99

26.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 AED 28.11

$9.37 AED 34.40

-18.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 AED 56.7

$12.50 AED 45.86

23.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 AED 8.16

$2.28 AED 8.36

-2.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 AED 6.65

$1.87 AED 6.87

-3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 AED 5.44

$1.93 AED 7.08

-23.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 AED 4.68

$1.48 AED 5.43

-13.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 AED 3.75

$1.23 AED 4.50

-17.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 AED 3.85

$1.26 AED 4.61

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 AED 6.63

$1.46 AED 5.34

23.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 AED 1.82

$0.68 AED 2.50

-26.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 AED 23.41

$6.71 AED 24.62

-4.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 AED 49.18

$19.12 AED 70.2

-29.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 AED 9.54

$2.62 AED 9.63

-0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 AED 7.89

$3.56 AED 13.06

-39.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 AED 6.06

$1.66 AED 6.07

-0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 AED 193

$81.6 AED 299

-35.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.64

$3.29 AED 12.09

-53.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.40

$0.79 AED 2.90

-17.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.31 AED 30.48

$7.93 AED 29.09

4.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 AED 2.84

$0.78 AED 2.88

-1.28%

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

$45.1K AED 165.6K

$32.5K AED 119.4K

38.67%

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

$22.4K AED 82.1K

$22.4K AED 82.3K

-0.16%

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

$146 AED 537

$216 AED 791

-32.07%

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

$44.07 AED 162

$63.7 AED 234

-30.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 369

$99.8 AED 366

0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.52 AED 68.0

$88.5 AED 325

-79.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.99 AED 143

$45.99 AED 169

-15.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 AED 32.30

$14.96 AED 54.9

-41.18%

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

$221 AED 809

$851 AED 3,123

-74.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 AED 19.1K

$14.2K AED 52.1K

-63.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 AED 432

$83.4 AED 306

41.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 AED 202

$63.7 AED 234

-13.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 AED 499

$111 AED 406

22.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 AED 504

$120 AED 442

14.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 AED 2,026

$2,377 AED 8,724

-76.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 AED 1,503

$1,564 AED 5,740

-73.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 AED 5,572

$4,541 AED 16.7K

-66.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 AED 4,041

$3,017 AED 11.1K

-63.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,203 AED 26.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,090 AED 15.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 AED 13.4K

$4,088 AED 15.0K

-10.78%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dubai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $552 in Fujairah and $2,377 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 12% 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: $41.00 in Fujairah vs $80.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Dubai earns 12% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $552 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 55% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $221 in Fujairah versus $851 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,462 in Fujairah versus $2,866 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.