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: $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,458 in Ajman.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,761 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $4,549 in Ajman.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,777 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $6,640 in Ajman.

Living in Ras al-Khaimah costs roughly 29% less than in Ajman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ras al-Khaimah 27% above, Ajman 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.04 AED 44.22

$5.64 AED 20.71

113.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 AED 167

$27.31 AED 100

66.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 AED 27.45

$8.05 AED 29.56

-7.08%

Cappuccino

$5.51 AED 20.24

$3.72 AED 13.66

48.12%

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

$1.11 AED 4.07

$0.74 AED 2.71

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.60

$0.39 AED 1.44

12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.06 AED 36.94

$10.98 AED 40.34

-8.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 AED 35.93

$12.09 AED 44.39

-19.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 AED 6.29

$1.90 AED 6.99

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 AED 7.56

$1.33 AED 4.90

54.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 AED 6.91

$1.47 AED 5.40

27.89%

Eggs

$2.42 AED 8.88

$1.97 AED 7.24

22.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 AED 45.90

$7.58 AED 27.83

64.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 AED 35.56

$5.54 AED 20.34

74.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 AED 57.9

$8.32 AED 30.57

89.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 AED 7.30

$1.89 AED 6.94

5.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 AED 5.85

$1.26 AED 4.61

26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.51

$1.51 AED 5.54

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 AED 4.93

$0.89 AED 3.27

50.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.56

$1.05 AED 3.85

-7.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 AED 3.38

$1.04 AED 3.81

-11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 AED 6.44

$0.83 AED 3.05

110.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 AED 1.75

$0.52 AED 1.92

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 AED 24.87

$6.40 AED 23.51

5.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 AED 50.2

$10.74 AED 39.46

27.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AED 9.25

$1.65 AED 6.08

52.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 AED 10.49

$2.22 AED 8.14

28.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 AED 7.82

$4.01 AED 14.74

-46.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 AED 411

$68.1 AED 250

64.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 AED 6.30

$3.58 AED 13.15

-51.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.89

$0.65 AED 2.38

21.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 AED 29.23

$8.12 AED 29.84

-1.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 AED 3.26

$0.86 AED 3.15

3.49%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$46.3K AED 170.1K

-0.13%

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

$21.8K AED 80.2K

$22.1K AED 81.3K

-1.35%

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

$124 AED 456

$148 AED 543

-15.98%

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

$45.14 AED 166

$48.82 AED 179

-7.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 AED 292

$84.5 AED 310

-5.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 AED 211

$79.2 AED 291

-27.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.71 AED 150

$9.80 AED 35.99

315.41%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 AED 48.00

$13.43 AED 49.33

-2.68%

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

$296 AED 1,086

$490 AED 1,800

-39.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 AED 16.2K

$5,782 AED 21.2K

-23.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 AED 303

$57.7 AED 212

43.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 AED 192

$61.6 AED 226

-15.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 AED 466

$83.4 AED 306

52.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 AED 422

$93.3 AED 343

23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 AED 2,768

$2,524 AED 9,268

-70.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 AED 2,135

$1,424 AED 5,230

-59.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 AED 6,029

$1,829 AED 6,717

-10.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 AED 4,655

$4,513 AED 16.6K

-71.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,911 AED 18.0K

$2,234 AED 8,203

119.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 AED 7,157

$1,401 AED 5,146

39.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 AED 5,818

$2,265 AED 8,319

-30.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.92

-1.60%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ajman: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $754 in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,524 in Ajman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ajman pays 43% 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: $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $27.00 in Ajman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $198 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 41% 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 43% 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: $754 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,524 in Ajman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $296 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $490 in Ajman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ajman pay roughly 43% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,458 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 $1,745 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 41% less than in Ajman. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.