Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maharagama and Dubai

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $2,889 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $33,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

139

Cost of Living Index in Dubai
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Dubai Living Index

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Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Dubai

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$2,889

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maharagama and in Dubai

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $131 in Maharagama versus $2,889 in Dubai.

Maharagama $131
Dubai $2,889

Estimated couple costs with rent: $246 in Maharagama versus $4,444 in Dubai.

Maharagama $246
Dubai $4,444

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $361 in Maharagama versus $5,999 in Dubai.

Maharagama $361
Dubai $5,999

Living in Maharagama costs roughly 95% less than in Dubai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maharagama is 90% below, Dubai is 114% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 LKR 1,761

$12.94 AED 47.54

-59.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.24 LKR 6,731

$83.2 AED 306

-75.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 LKR 2,219

$9.35 AED 34.32

-28.66%

Cappuccino

$2.11 LKR 702

$5.88 AED 21.59

-64.12%

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

$0.64 LKR 213

$1.57 AED 5.77

-59.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LKR 95.2

$0.94 AED 3.47

-69.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.44 AED 49.37

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.57 AED 49.84

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 LKR 288

$1.86 AED 6.83

-53.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LKR 76.0

$1.56 AED 5.73

-85.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.50 LKR 167

$2.64 AED 9.68

-81.06%

Eggs

$1.42 LKR 473

$3.53 AED 12.96

-59.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 AED 47.62

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 AED 36.51

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 AED 47.45

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 AED 9.36

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 AED 7.54

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 AED 6.77

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.64

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.31

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 AED 3.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 AED 5.75

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 AED 2.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 AED 23.17

Wine (Bottle)

$16.16 AED 59.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 AED 9.48

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 AED 10.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 AED 5.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.4 AED 303

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 146

$3.29 AED 12.07

-86.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 LKR 154

$0.65 AED 2.40

-29.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 AED 29.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 AED 3.68

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

$26.3K AED 96.6K

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

$22.0K AED 81.0K

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

$239 AED 877

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

$4.55 LKR 1,513

$56.9 AED 209

-92.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.38 LKR 4,449

$93.9 AED 345

-85.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.8 AED 334

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.38 AED 170

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 AED 59.6

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

$934 AED 3,429

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K AED 76.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 AED 260

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 AED 225

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 AED 377

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 AED 426

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 AED 9,134

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 AED 5,581

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 LKR 65.9K

$5,234 AED 19.2K

-96.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,028 AED 11.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,982 AED 25.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,433 AED 16.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$240 LKR 79.7K

$3,553 AED 13.0K

-93.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

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

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Last update for Dubai: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Maharagama

–

Dubai

$1.5K 52.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maharagama

–

Dubai

$390 13.5%

Eating Out

Maharagama

–

Dubai

$307 10.6%

Groceries & Markets

Maharagama

–

Dubai

$297 10.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Maharagama

–

Dubai

$158 5.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Maharagama

–

Dubai

$123 4.3%

Getting Around

Maharagama

–

Dubai

$95 3.3%

Cost Breakdown

Dubai pays about 15 times 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: $20 in Maharagama vs $83 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $19 vs $297 per month, with Maharagama cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🇦🇪 Dubai

🕒 Local time

09:37 9:37 AM

08:07 8:07 AM

1 h 30 min behind Maharagama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

196,400

3,790,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

UAE Dirham AED د.إ

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.243 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AED, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.12 AED (1 AED = 0.243 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

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Between locations

Maharagama Dubai 3,320 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Maharagama
Dubai

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

Maharagama vs Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maharagama is about 95% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 93% lower in Maharagama. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1495% higher in Dubai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maharagama – a meal for two runs $20 versus $83 in Dubai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $131 in Maharagama versus $2,889 in Dubai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Maharagama but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Maharagama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Maharagama and Dubai are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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