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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,773 in Ajman.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,976 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $5,108 in Ajman.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,008 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $7,444 in Ajman.

Living in Ras al-Khaimah costs roughly 30% less than in Ajman, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ras al-Khaimah 45% above, Ajman 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 AED 49.46

$6.16 AED 22.61

118.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 AED 181

$27.30 AED 100

80.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 AED 25.56

$8.36 AED 30.72

-16.75%

Cappuccino

$5.55 AED 20.37

$3.81 AED 13.99

45.67%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$0.84 AED 3.07

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 AED 2.63

$0.38 AED 1.38

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.87 AED 39.92

$10.84 AED 39.81

0.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 AED 36.91

$11.01 AED 40.44

-8.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$2.27 AED 8.35

-30.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 AED 5.32

$1.17 AED 4.30

23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 AED 6.24

$1.41 AED 5.18

20.57%

Eggs

$2.21 AED 8.11

$1.81 AED 6.65

22.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 AED 47.15

$9.19 AED 33.77

39.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 AED 27.87

$6.69 AED 24.56

13.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 AED 56.1

$7.50 AED 27.54

103.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 AED 8.03

$1.66 AED 6.11

31.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 AED 6.47

$1.26 AED 4.62

39.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.54

$1.44 AED 5.29

4.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 AED 4.80

$1.04 AED 3.82

25.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.55

$0.94 AED 3.44

3.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 AED 3.80

$1.01 AED 3.72

1.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 AED 6.60

$0.80 AED 2.94

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 AED 1.86

$0.57 AED 2.08

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 AED 23.10

$6.22 AED 22.86

1.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 AED 49.60

$11.09 AED 40.75

21.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.67

$1.61 AED 5.92

63.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 AED 10.87

$2.73 AED 10.03

8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 AED 8.68

$4.15 AED 15.24

-43.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 AED 236

$63.2 AED 232

1.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.65

$3.63 AED 13.33

-57.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 AED 3.41

$0.69 AED 2.53

34.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 AED 30.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 AED 2.93

$0.77 AED 2.82

3.90%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$45.0K AED 165.2K

2.82%

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

$22.4K AED 82.3K

$23.7K AED 86.9K

-5.26%

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

$149 AED 549

$140 AED 516

6.36%

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

$45.04 AED 165

$60.7 AED 223

-25.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$110 AED 403

-7.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 AED 207

$164 AED 601

-65.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.13 AED 151

$3.56 AED 13.06

1055.34%

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 AED 49.35

$13.85 AED 50.9

-2.96%

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

$248 AED 912

$597 AED 2,192

-58.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,208 AED 19.1K

$5,646 AED 20.7K

-7.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 AED 430

$58.6 AED 215

100.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 AED 197

$61.7 AED 227

-12.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 502

$84.9 AED 312

61.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 498

$93.1 AED 342

45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 AED 2,637

$3,295 AED 12.1K

-78.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 AED 2,874

$1,655 AED 6,077

-52.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 AED 7,322

$5,671 AED 20.8K

-64.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 AED 5,554

$5,335 AED 19.6K

-71.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,828 AED 17.7K

$2,279 AED 8,370

111.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 AED 7,217

$1,413 AED 5,190

39.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,571 AED 5,770

$2,235 AED 8,207

-29.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

4.53

7.73%

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

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

Last update for Ajman: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $718 in Ras al-Khaimah and $3,295 in Ajman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ajman pays 42% 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: $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $27.00 in Ajman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $208 per month, with Ajman 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

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

Ras al-Khaimah wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Ajman. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ras al-Khaimah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Ajman. 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: $718 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $3,295 in Ajman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $248 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $597 in Ajman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ajman pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,773 in Ajman, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ras al-Khaimah but tight or insufficient in Ajman. The gap between the two cities makes Ras al-Khaimah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ras al-Khaimah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,943 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ras al-Khaimah hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ras al-Khaimah and Ajman 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 Ras al-Khaimah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Ajman. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.