Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ranong and Dubai

For one person, living is cheaper in Ranong: $976 a month against $2,883 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $22,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ranong
🇹🇭 Thailand
$976
/mo nomad
Dubai
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
$2,883
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ranong 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 Ranong and in Dubai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $976 in Ranong versus $2,883 in Dubai.

  • Ranong $976
  • Dubai $2,883

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Ranong versus $4,403 in Dubai.

  • Ranong $1,650
  • Dubai $4,403

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,324 in Ranong versus $5,923 in Dubai.

  • Ranong $2,324
  • Dubai $5,923

Living in Ranong costs roughly 66% less than in Dubai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ranong is 28% below, Dubai is 113% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ranong
Dubai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.36 ฿146
$12.99 AED 47.72
-66.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.07 ฿1,072
$81.9 AED 301
-60.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.46 ฿283
$9.64 AED 35.40
-12.24%
Cappuccino
$2.74 ฿91.5
$6.09 AED 22.38
-55.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 ฿31.98
$1.61 AED 5.93
-40.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.59
$0.75 AED 2.76
-33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.3
$13.79 AED 50.6
-81.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿126
$13.41 AED 49.25
-71.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ranong
Dubai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.5
$1.86 AED 6.83
-10.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿48.98
$1.53 AED 5.62
-3.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.6
$2.55 AED 9.38
-40.39%
Eggs
$2.20 ฿73.4
$3.28 AED 12.06
-32.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.67 ฿657
$12.14 AED 44.57
62.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$9.15 AED 33.62
-63.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.09 ฿371
$12.80 AED 47.00
-13.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.3
$2.56 AED 9.39
14.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ฿54.9
$1.91 AED 7.03
-14.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.26 ฿75.7
$1.82 AED 6.69
24.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.07 ฿69.2
$1.43 AED 5.26
44.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.2
$1.10 AED 4.04
36.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.31 ฿43.78
$0.92 AED 3.40
42.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 ฿35.35
$1.52 AED 5.58
-30.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.01
$0.69 AED 2.54
-26.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.46 ฿149
$6.41 AED 23.55
-30.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.42 ฿616
$16.52 AED 60.7
11.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 ฿60.6
$2.56 AED 9.41
-29.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 ฿92.1
$3.08 AED 11.32
-10.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Ranong
Dubai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 ฿26.38
$1.58 AED 5.82
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$75.9 AED 279
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ฿40.34
$3.19 AED 11.72
-62.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 ฿35.76
$0.71 AED 2.62
50.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 ฿127
$8.21 AED 30.13
-53.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 ฿49.36
$1.01 AED 3.73
46.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K ฿883.5K
$26.1K AED 96.0K
1.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K ฿881.7K
$21.8K AED 80.2K
20.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ranong
Dubai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.5 ฿3,324
$245 AED 900
-59.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.07 ฿370
$57.5 AED 211
-80.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.26 ฿577
$91.3 AED 335
-81.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ranong
Dubai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.35 ฿1,449
$105 AED 385
-58.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.40 ฿414
$46.58 AED 171
-73.38%
Cinema Ticket
$7.65 ฿256
$16.04 AED 58.9
-52.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ranong
Dubai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$548 ฿18.3K
$873 AED 3,206
-37.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K ฿382.5K
$18.0K AED 66.2K
-36.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ranong
Dubai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.3 ฿2,147
$70.8 AED 260
-9.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.31 ฿946
$62.3 AED 229
-54.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.8 ฿3,203
$106 AED 390
-9.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 ฿2,993
$102 AED 376
-12.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ranong
Dubai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$467 ฿15.6K
$2,454 AED 9,014
-80.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$268 ฿8,954
$1,510 AED 5,545
-82.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 ฿36.1K
$4,640 AED 17.0K
-76.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$762 ฿25.5K
$2,961 AED 10.9K
-74.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,902 ฿63.6K
$7,219 AED 26.5K
-73.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,616 ฿54.0K
$4,232 AED 15.5K
-61.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ranong
Dubai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$3,584 AED 13.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.54
22.69%

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

Last update for Ranong: October 18, 2026

Last update for Dubai: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ranong
$268
Dubai
$1.5K 464% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Ranong
$268
Dubai
$288 7.6% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ranong
$128
Dubai
$394 208% $266
Clothing & Footwear
Ranong
$125
Dubai
$154 22.9% $29
Eating Out
Ranong
$119
Dubai
$311 161% $192
Sport & Entertainment
Ranong
$59
Dubai
$137 133% $78
Getting Around
Ranong
$9.7 *
Dubai
$89 817% $79

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Ranong and $2,454 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ranong vs $82.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $288 per month, with Ranong cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Ranong
🇦🇪 Dubai
🕒 Local time
21:53 9:53 PM
18:53 6:53 PM
3 h behind Ranong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,163
3,790,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
UAE Dirham AED د.إ
Exchange rates and currency converter

AED, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.13 AED (1 AED = 0.242 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ranong Dubai 4,880 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ranong
  • 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
Ranong vs Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dubai cheaper than Ranong?
Ranong is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,464 in Ranong and $4,324 in Dubai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Ranong and Dubai?
Rent for a central apartment: $467 in Ranong versus $2,454 in Dubai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Ranong and in Dubai?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Dubai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Ranong and in Dubai?
All in, you'll spend $976 per month in Ranong versus $2,883 in Dubai – a 195% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ranong or in Dubai?
At $976 in Ranong versus $2,883 in Dubai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ranong but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Ranong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ranong or Dubai more family-friendly?
For families, Ranong 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.
Which city is safer, Ranong or Dubai?
Safety-wise, Ranong 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ranong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 195% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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