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: $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,803 in Ajman.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,021 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $5,201 in Ajman.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,093 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $7,599 in Ajman.

Living in Ras al-Khaimah costs roughly 31% less than in Ajman, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ras al-Khaimah 45% above, Ajman 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 AED 49.77

$6.12 AED 22.47

121.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.69 AED 183

$26.83 AED 98.6

85.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 AED 24.26

$7.98 AED 29.31

-17.17%

Cappuccino

$5.63 AED 20.67

$3.71 AED 13.62

51.75%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$0.83 AED 3.06

59.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.49

$0.38 AED 1.38

78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 AED 40.37

$11.04 AED 40.55

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.23 AED 37.59

$10.79 AED 39.64

-5.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 AED 6.00

$2.27 AED 8.33

-28.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 AED 5.39

$1.17 AED 4.30

25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 AED 6.31

$1.39 AED 5.10

23.74%

Eggs

$2.31 AED 8.49

$1.87 AED 6.88

23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 AED 47.33

$8.91 AED 32.73

44.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 AED 28.02

$6.60 AED 24.24

15.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 AED 55.2

$7.63 AED 28.03

96.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 AED 8.13

$1.65 AED 6.05

33.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 AED 6.61

$1.24 AED 4.56

45.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.50

$1.46 AED 5.35

2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.09 AED 4.02

15.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 AED 3.53

$0.97 AED 3.58

-1.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$1.02 AED 3.74

-1.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 AED 6.45

$0.74 AED 2.73

137.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 AED 1.83

$0.62 AED 2.28

-19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 AED 23.68

$6.28 AED 23.05

2.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.77

$10.81 AED 39.70

25.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.70

$1.61 AED 5.90

63.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 AED 10.56

$2.67 AED 9.82

7.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 AED 8.61

$4.20 AED 15.42

-44.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 AED 231

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 AED 5.35

$3.44 AED 12.62

-57.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 AED 3.45

$0.69 AED 2.54

36.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 AED 30.78

$8.09 AED 29.73

3.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.76

$0.76 AED 2.80

-1.32%

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

$44.9K AED 164.8K

$45.7K AED 167.9K

-1.85%

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

$22.8K AED 83.8K

$23.4K AED 85.8K

-2.33%

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

$148 AED 544

$137 AED 504

8.01%

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

$44.24 AED 162

$61.1 AED 225

-27.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.6 AED 366

$109 AED 399

-8.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 AED 207

$167 AED 614

-66.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.33 AED 148

$3.71 AED 13.64

987.06%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 AED 49.02

$13.46 AED 49.44

-0.82%

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

$244 AED 895

$579 AED 2,128

-57.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 AED 18.7K

$5,805 AED 21.3K

-12.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 AED 426

$59.5 AED 219

94.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 AED 196

$62.1 AED 228

-13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 503

$84.9 AED 312

61.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 500

$92.3 AED 339

47.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 AED 2,644

$3,307 AED 12.1K

-78.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 AED 2,810

$1,654 AED 6,076

-53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 AED 7,241

$5,611 AED 20.6K

-64.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 AED 5,599

$5,281 AED 19.4K

-71.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,839 AED 17.8K

$2,266 AED 8,324

113.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,944 AED 7,139

$1,429 AED 5,247

36.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,605 AED 5,896

$2,279 AED 8,369

-29.55%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ajman: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $720 in Ras al-Khaimah and $3,307 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: $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $27.00 in Ajman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $207 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 44% 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, Ajman earns 42% less. 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: $720 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $3,307 in Ajman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $244 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $579 in Ajman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ajman pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,803 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 $1,948 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 44% less than in Ajman. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.