Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Dibba Al-Fujairah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Dibba Al-Fujairah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,978 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,060 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,016 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $3,097 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,054 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $4,134 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Living in Ras al-Khaimah costs roughly 4% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ras al-Khaimah 48% above, Dibba Al-Fujairah 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.42 AED 49.27

$10.72 AED 39.37

25.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.50 AED 178

$80.9 AED 297

-40.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 AED 24.41

$9.51 AED 34.91

-30.07%

Cappuccino

$5.74 AED 21.08

$5.70 AED 20.95

0.70%

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

$1.27 AED 4.65

$1.25 AED 4.58

1.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 AED 2.45

$0.89 AED 3.28

-24.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.09 AED 40.74

$12.16 AED 44.67

-8.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.03 AED 36.84

$13.52 AED 49.67

-25.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 AED 6.09

$1.99 AED 7.32

-16.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 AED 5.48

$1.38 AED 5.06

7.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 AED 6.36

$2.19 AED 8.06

-21.00%

Eggs

$2.22 AED 8.16

$3.44 AED 12.62

-35.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 AED 47.47

$9.95 AED 36.56

29.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 AED 28.28

$9.22 AED 33.85

-16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 AED 57.0

$12.56 AED 46.14

23.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 AED 8.48

$2.37 AED 8.70

-2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 AED 6.40

$1.93 AED 7.10

-9.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 AED 5.73

$1.93 AED 7.10

-19.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.63

$1.56 AED 5.71

-19.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 AED 3.73

$1.24 AED 4.56

-17.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.69

$1.27 AED 4.65

-21.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 AED 6.61

$1.45 AED 5.32

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 AED 1.82

$0.68 AED 2.51

-26.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 AED 23.76

$6.53 AED 23.97

-0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 AED 49.55

$16.52 AED 60.7

-18.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 AED 9.62

$2.66 AED 9.76

-1.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 AED 10.64

$3.43 AED 12.61

-15.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 AED 8.91

$1.67 AED 6.15

45.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 AED 234

$52.2 AED 192

22.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 AED 5.60

$3.22 AED 11.81

-52.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 AED 3.47

$0.55 AED 2.04

72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 AED 29.38

$7.98 AED 29.32

0.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 AED 2.81

$0.74 AED 2.72

4.05%

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

$45.9K AED 168.7K

$33.0K AED 121.3K

39.12%

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

$22.4K AED 82.2K

$22.4K AED 82.4K

-0.20%

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

$149 AED 546

$212 AED 777

-29.74%

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

$45.50 AED 167

$61.3 AED 225

-25.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 375

$103 AED 379

-1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 AED 209

$64.0 AED 235

-11.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.61 AED 149

$40.08 AED 147

1.32%

Cinema Ticket

$13.34 AED 48.98

$15.03 AED 55.2

-11.24%

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

$248 AED 911

$822 AED 3,021

-69.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,113 AED 18.8K

$5,720 AED 21.0K

-10.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 AED 424

$81.4 AED 299

41.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.2 AED 203

$64.2 AED 236

-13.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 AED 496

$115 AED 424

16.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 AED 497

$119 AED 439

13.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 AED 2,635

$737 AED 2,708

-2.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 AED 2,859

$743 AED 2,730

4.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,973 AED 7,247

$2,552 AED 9,372

-22.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 AED 5,514

$1,335 AED 4,903

12.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,990 AED 18.3K

$4,442 AED 16.3K

12.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 AED 7,159

$2,630 AED 9,658

-25.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,571 AED 5,770

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

4.49

8.69%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: June 14, 2026

Last update for Dibba Al-Fujairah: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Ras al-Khaimah and $737 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $81.0 in Dibba Al-Fujairah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $282 per month, with Ras al-Khaimah 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 Dibba Al-Fujairah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ras al-Khaimah and Dibba Al-Fujairah differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,978 vs $2,060 including rent). Ras al-Khaimah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,967 in Ras al-Khaimah and $3,090 in Dibba Al-Fujairah 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $717 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $737 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ras al-Khaimah runs roughly 22% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $248 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $822 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,978 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,060 in Dibba Al-Fujairah, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ras al-Khaimah but tight or insufficient in Dibba Al-Fujairah. The gap between the two cities makes Ras al-Khaimah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ras al-Khaimah and Dibba Al-Fujairah 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 4% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.