Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between London, Canada and Ajman

For one person, living is cheaper in Ajman: $1,842 a month against $2,342 in London, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

London, Canada
Ajman, United Arab Emirates
London
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,342
/mo nomad
Ajman
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
$1,842
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in London and in Ajman

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in London and in Ajman actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,342 in London versus $1,842 in Ajman.

  • London $2,342
  • Ajman $1,842

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,356 in London versus $3,306 in Ajman.

  • London $3,356
  • Ajman $3,306

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,370 in London versus $4,769 in Ajman.

  • London $4,370
  • Ajman $4,769

Living in London is roughly 27% more expensive than in Ajman, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 72% above, Ajman 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
London
Ajman
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.44 CA$30.09
$5.66 AED 20.79
278.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.9 CA$91.0
$26.78 AED 98.4
142.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.45 CA$17.47
$8.13 AED 29.86
53.14%
Cappuccino
$3.75 CA$5.26
$3.72 AED 13.65
0.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 CA$3.11
$0.80 AED 2.93
176.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 CA$2.99
$0.40 AED 1.46
432.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.26 CA$8.78
$10.77 AED 39.55
-41.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.40 CA$8.98
$12.48 AED 45.83
-48.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
London
Ajman
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 CA$2.65
$1.95 AED 7.14
-3.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 CA$3.75
$1.35 AED 4.97
97.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.07 CA$5.71
$1.46 AED 5.35
178.77%
Eggs
$3.69 CA$5.17
$2.08 AED 7.65
77.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.02 CA$14.06
$7.91 AED 29.05
26.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.75 CA$16.49
$6.59 AED 24.20
78.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.92 CA$20.94
$9.51 AED 34.92
56.89%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 CA$6.14
$1.94 AED 7.12
125.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 CA$1.69
$1.33 AED 4.87
-9.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.79 CA$5.32
$1.56 AED 5.73
142.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.91
$1.03 AED 3.79
308.74%
Potato (1kg)
$3.20 CA$4.49
$1.03 AED 3.77
210.68%
Onion (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.32
$1.14 AED 4.17
169.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.52 CA$3.54
$1.18 AED 4.34
113.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.17
$0.51 AED 1.87
201.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.01 CA$16.86
$6.34 AED 23.30
89.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.68 CA$17.80
$11.02 AED 40.45
15.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 CA$3.58
$1.60 AED 5.88
59.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 CA$4.09
$2.30 AED 8.45
26.52%
🚌 Getting Around
London
Ajman
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.55 CA$3.58
$4.07 AED 14.94
-37.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.3 CA$113
$69.4 AED 255
15.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.45 CA$3.44
$3.48 AED 12.77
-29.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 CA$2.30
$0.66 AED 2.42
148.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.15 CA$31.08
$8.41 AED 30.89
163.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 CA$1.75
$0.83 AED 3.05
50.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K CA$37.6K
$45.4K AED 166.8K
-40.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2K CA$32.5K
$22.0K AED 80.7K
5.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
Ajman
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$139 CA$195
$154 AED 565
-9.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.22 CA$55.1
$49.88 AED 183
-21.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.6 CA$79.4
$85.4 AED 314
-33.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
London
Ajman
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.95 CA$50.5
$76.9 AED 282
-53.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.81 CA$40.43
$9.74 AED 35.79
195.79%
Cinema Ticket
$10.83 CA$15.20
$13.64 AED 50.1
-20.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
London
Ajman
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$419 CA$589
$492 AED 1,806
-14.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.8K CA$29.2K
$5,741 AED 21.1K
262.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
London
Ajman
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.2 CA$76.0
$58.4 AED 214
-7.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.94 CA$54.7
$61.1 AED 224
-36.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.1 CA$114
$84.9 AED 312
-4.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 CA$128
$94.8 AED 348
-3.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
London
Ajman
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,323 CA$1,857
$2,283 AED 8,386
-42.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,149 CA$1,613
$812 AED 2,982
41.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,099 CA$2,945
$1,619 AED 5,946
29.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 CA$2,359
$2,727 AED 10.0K
-38.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,124 CA$5,787
$2,272 AED 8,343
81.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 CA$4,844
$1,366 AED 5,015
152.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
London
Ajman
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,052 CA$4,284
$2,259 AED 8,297
35.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.72
5
-5.60%

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

Last update for London: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ajman: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
London
$1.1K
Ajman
$812 29.4% $337
Groceries & Markets
London
$364
Ajman
$212 41.7% $152
Eating Out
London
$315
Ajman
$198 37.2% $117
Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
$235
Ajman
$289 23.1% $54
Clothing & Footwear
London
$119
Ajman
$135 12.6% $15
Getting Around
London
$101
Ajman
$92 8.6% $8.7
Sport & Entertainment
London
$58
Ajman
$104 80.8% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,323 in London and $2,283 in Ajman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 35% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $65 in London vs $27 in Ajman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $212 per month, with Ajman cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 London
🇦🇪 Ajman
🕒 Local time
17:50 5:50 PM
01:50 1:50 AM
8 h ahead of London
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
383,822
238,119
💱 Currency
UAE Dirham AED د.إ
Exchange rates and currency converter

AED, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.09 AED (1 AED = 0.245 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • London Ajman 11,220 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • London
  • Ajman

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
London vs Ajman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, London or Ajman?
Ajman wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in London. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ajman the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in London or in Ajman?
Average pay runs 35% higher in London, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in London compared to Ajman?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,323 in London versus $2,283 in Ajman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in London and in Ajman?
Childcare runs $419 in London versus $492 in Ajman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in London or in Ajman?
Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in London. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city offers a better quality of life: London or Ajman?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is London compared to Ajman?
Safety-wise, London and Ajman are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to London or to Ajman?
It comes down to priorities – Ajman wins on affordability, London on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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