Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Ras al-Khaimah Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Ras al-Khaimah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $2,976 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $4,008 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Montreal costs about 7% more than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Ras al-Khaimah sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Ras al-Khaimah by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.16

$13.47 AED 49.46

22.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$49.37 AED 181

49.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.34

$6.96 AED 25.56

57.18%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.39

$5.55 AED 20.37

-30.81%

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

$2.14 CA$2.99

$1.32 AED 4.83

62.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$0.72 AED 2.63

101.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.60

$10.87 AED 39.92

-43.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.44

$10.05 AED 36.91

-33.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.30

$1.57 AED 5.75

49.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.68

$1.45 AED 5.32

130.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$1.70 AED 6.24

120.00%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.76

$2.21 AED 8.11

53.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.85

$12.84 AED 47.15

26.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.56

$7.59 AED 27.87

55.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$21.93

$15.28 AED 56.1

2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.18

$2.19 AED 8.03

68.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.76 AED 6.47

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.76

$1.51 AED 5.54

172.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.18

$1.31 AED 4.80

236.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$0.97 AED 3.55

187.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$1.03 AED 3.80

156.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$1.80 AED 6.60

27.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$0.51 AED 1.86

249.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.47

$6.29 AED 23.10

109.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.92

$13.51 AED 49.60

-21.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.19

$2.63 AED 9.67

13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.82

$2.96 AED 10.87

16.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.94

$2.36 AED 8.68

19.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$64.3 AED 236

13.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.93

$1.54 AED 5.65

128.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$0.93 AED 3.41

55.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.08

$8.41 AED 30.90

307.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$0.80 AED 2.93

52.50%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-45.41%

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

$22.1K CA$31.0K

$22.4K AED 82.3K

-1.25%

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

$76.5 CA$107

$149 AED 549

-48.80%

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

$35.60 CA$49.91

$45.04 AED 165

-20.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.2

$101 AED 371

-57.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$60.8

$56.3 AED 207

-22.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.60

$41.13 AED 151

-59.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.55

$13.44 AED 49.35

-17.49%

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

$625 CA$876

$248 AED 912

151.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,266

$5,208 AED 19.1K

13.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.5

$117 AED 430

-46.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.4

$53.7 AED 197

-17.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$144

$137 AED 502

-24.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$136 AED 498

-12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,692

$718 AED 2,637

68.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,353

$783 AED 2,874

23.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,848

$1,994 AED 7,322

1.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,211

$1,512 AED 5,554

4.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,129

$4,828 AED 17.7K

5.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,304

$1,965 AED 7,217

92.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,051

$1,571 AED 5,770

83.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

4.88

2.66%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $718 in Ras al-Khaimah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 84% higher in Montreal, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal versus $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $267 – making Ras al-Khaimah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Montreal vs Ras al-Khaimah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 7% more than Ras al-Khaimah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,127 per month in Montreal and $2,914 in Ras al-Khaimah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ras al-Khaimah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal and $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ras al-Khaimah, where all-in costs run around $1,943, than in Montreal at $2,085. In Ras al-Khaimah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ras al-Khaimah costs $1,943 versus $2,085 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ras al-Khaimah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.