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: $1,806 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,050 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,813 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $3,588 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,820 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $5,126 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Living in Ras al-Khaimah costs roughly 12% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ras al-Khaimah 31% above, Dibba Al-Fujairah 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.78 AED 50.6

$6.61 AED 24.26

108.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.42 AED 148

$82.9 AED 305

-51.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 AED 27.93

$8.02 AED 29.46

-5.24%

Cappuccino

$5.64 AED 20.73

$6.33 AED 23.26

-10.90%

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

$1.10 AED 4.04

$0.78 AED 2.88

41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.63

$0.28 AED 1.03

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.37 AED 38.08

$13.36 AED 49.08

-22.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.25 AED 33.96

$13.78 AED 50.6

-32.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 AED 6.05

$1.33 AED 4.87

24.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 AED 7.40

$1.06 AED 3.91

89.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 AED 7.13

$2.44 AED 8.95

-20.49%

Eggs

$2.38 AED 8.73

$2.19 AED 8.06

8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.67 AED 46.52

$12.60 AED 46.29

0.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 AED 35.12

$6.66 AED 24.48

43.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 AED 58.0

$6.73 AED 24.73

134.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 AED 7.65

$1.61 AED 5.92

29.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 AED 6.06

$1.39 AED 5.10

18.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.67

$1.93 AED 7.10

-20.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 AED 5.03

$1.40 AED 5.13

-2.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 AED 3.43

$0.79 AED 2.89

17.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 AED 3.23

$0.85 AED 3.11

3.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 AED 6.42

$1.37 AED 5.04

27.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 AED 1.71

$0.55 AED 2.02

-14.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 AED 25.41

$6.00 AED 22.05

15.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 AED 50.4

$16.60 AED 61.0

-17.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.70

$2.79 AED 10.24

-5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 AED 10.70

$2.66 AED 9.77

9.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 AED 8.11

$2.51 AED 9.20

-11.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 AED 421

$45.14 AED 166

153.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 AED 6.01

$1.12 AED 4.12

46.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 AED 2.96

$0.68 AED 2.50

19.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 AED 30.25

$8.09 AED 29.71

1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 AED 3.01

$0.69 AED 2.54

18.84%

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

$45.7K AED 167.9K

$27.5K AED 100.8K

66.51%

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

$21.7K AED 79.6K

$22.1K AED 81.3K

-2.13%

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

$122 AED 447

$248 AED 911

-50.92%

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

$45.02 AED 165

$52.7 AED 194

-14.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 AED 285

$81.1 AED 298

-4.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 AED 208

$56.8 AED 208

-0.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.55 AED 149

$29.70 AED 109

36.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 AED 48.20

$16.18 AED 59.4

-18.91%

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

$298 AED 1,093

$839 AED 3,083

-64.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,580 AED 16.8K

$5,810 AED 21.3K

-21.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 AED 301

$76.4 AED 281

7.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 AED 193

$57.3 AED 210

-8.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 AED 432

$102 AED 375

15.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 AED 428

$101 AED 370

15.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 AED 2,689

$803 AED 2,948

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 AED 2,364

$909 AED 3,338

-29.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 AED 6,096

$1,815 AED 6,668

-8.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 AED 4,679

$2,709 AED 9,949

-52.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,857 AED 17.8K

$4,367 AED 16.0K

11.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,953 AED 7,173

$2,311 AED 8,488

-15.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 AED 5,887

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.92

4.54

8.37%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dibba Al-Fujairah: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Ras al-Khaimah and $803 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $83.0 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Groceries flip the comparison at $284 vs $234, with Dibba Al-Fujairah cheaper for home cooking.

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 13% in total monthly costs ($1,806 vs $2,050 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 $2,710 in Ras al-Khaimah and $3,075 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 $803 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 154% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $298 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $839 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,806 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,050 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 13% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.