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: $1,952 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,066 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,981 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $3,118 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,011 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $4,170 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Living in Ras al-Khaimah costs roughly 6% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ras al-Khaimah 46% above, Dibba Al-Fujairah 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.78 AED 50.6

$10.80 AED 39.64

27.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.42 AED 181

$80.4 AED 295

-38.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 AED 24.67

$9.26 AED 33.97

-27.43%

Cappuccino

$5.78 AED 21.20

$5.48 AED 20.13

5.47%

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

$1.31 AED 4.81

$1.24 AED 4.54

5.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 AED 2.47

$0.90 AED 3.30

-25.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.74 AED 39.42

$12.04 AED 44.19

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.19 AED 37.41

$13.75 AED 50.5

-25.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 AED 6.01

$2.00 AED 7.35

-18.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 AED 5.34

$1.37 AED 5.03

5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 AED 6.23

$2.24 AED 8.23

-24.11%

Eggs

$2.28 AED 8.35

$3.33 AED 12.21

-31.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 AED 46.20

$10.20 AED 37.43

23.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 AED 28.90

$9.18 AED 33.69

-14.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 AED 56.2

$12.46 AED 45.72

22.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 AED 8.18

$2.29 AED 8.41

-2.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 AED 6.50

$1.97 AED 7.21

-10.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.46

$1.93 AED 7.08

-22.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 AED 4.83

$1.56 AED 5.74

-15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 AED 3.77

$1.25 AED 4.57

-17.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$1.26 AED 4.63

-20.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 AED 6.37

$1.39 AED 5.09

25.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 AED 1.96

$0.68 AED 2.50

-22.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 AED 23.41

$6.61 AED 24.26

-3.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 AED 50.6

$19.31 AED 70.9

-28.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 AED 9.46

$2.64 AED 9.68

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 AED 11.02

$3.56 AED 13.06

-15.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 AED 8.56

$1.62 AED 5.95

43.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 AED 235

$51.5 AED 189

24.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 AED 5.58

$3.26 AED 11.96

-53.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 AED 3.29

$0.56 AED 2.04

60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 AED 30.31

$8.05 AED 29.55

2.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 AED 2.77

$0.74 AED 2.70

2.70%

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

$46.1K AED 169.1K

$32.6K AED 119.6K

41.40%

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

$22.2K AED 81.4K

$22.9K AED 84.1K

-3.29%

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

$149 AED 547

$215 AED 787

-30.49%

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

$45.20 AED 166

$62.5 AED 229

-27.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 AED 379

$102 AED 375

0.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 AED 202

$64.0 AED 235

-14.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.37 AED 152

$39.99 AED 147

3.45%

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 AED 48.86

$14.78 AED 54.3

-9.95%

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

$249 AED 913

$844 AED 3,097

-70.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,192 AED 19.1K

$5,669 AED 20.8K

-8.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 AED 420

$82.4 AED 302

38.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 AED 196

$63.1 AED 231

-15.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 501

$112 AED 411

21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 AED 505

$122 AED 447

12.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 AED 2,688

$755 AED 2,771

-2.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 AED 2,815

$747 AED 2,741

2.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 AED 7,228

$2,556 AED 9,380

-22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 AED 5,433

$1,353 AED 4,965

9.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,936 AED 18.1K

$4,985 AED 18.3K

-0.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,941 AED 7,123

$2,058 AED 7,551

-5.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,683 AED 6,177

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dibba Al-Fujairah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Ras al-Khaimah and $755 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $80.0 in Dibba Al-Fujairah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $288 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,952 vs $2,066 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 $2,928 in Ras al-Khaimah and $3,099 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: $732 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $755 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 24% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $249 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $844 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,952 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,066 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 6% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.