Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Dubai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Dubai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,908 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,021 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $4,381 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,093 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $5,854 in Dubai.

Living in Ras al-Khaimah costs roughly 33% less than in Dubai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ras al-Khaimah 45% above, Dubai 117% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 AED 49.77

$10.93 AED 40.14

23.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.69 AED 183

$82.7 AED 304

-39.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 AED 24.26

$9.44 AED 34.67

-29.98%

Cappuccino

$5.63 AED 20.67

$5.57 AED 20.46

1.08%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$1.25 AED 4.59

5.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.49

$0.93 AED 3.43

-26.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 AED 40.37

$12.04 AED 44.22

-8.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.23 AED 37.59

$13.55 AED 49.78

-24.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 AED 6.00

$2.00 AED 7.36

-18.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 AED 5.39

$1.44 AED 5.29

2.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 AED 6.31

$2.20 AED 8.09

-21.82%

Eggs

$2.31 AED 8.49

$3.46 AED 12.69

-33.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 AED 47.33

$10.08 AED 37.01

27.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 AED 28.02

$9.49 AED 34.87

-19.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 AED 55.2

$12.48 AED 45.84

20.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 AED 8.13

$2.31 AED 8.49

-4.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 AED 6.61

$1.89 AED 6.95

-4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.50

$1.83 AED 6.74

-18.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.49 AED 5.46

-15.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 AED 3.53

$1.24 AED 4.54

-22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$1.30 AED 4.78

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 AED 6.45

$1.44 AED 5.30

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 AED 1.83

$0.70 AED 2.57

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 AED 23.68

$6.44 AED 23.66

0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.77

$16.61 AED 61.0

-18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.70

$2.63 AED 9.65

0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 AED 10.56

$3.43 AED 12.59

-16.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 AED 8.61

$1.64 AED 6.03

42.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 AED 231

$80.2 AED 295

-21.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 AED 5.35

$3.22 AED 11.83

-54.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 AED 3.45

$0.79 AED 2.89

18.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 AED 30.78

$8.14 AED 29.91

2.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.76

$0.77 AED 2.83

-2.60%

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

$44.9K AED 164.8K

$32.5K AED 119.5K

37.94%

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

$22.8K AED 83.8K

$22.6K AED 83.0K

0.93%

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

$148 AED 544

$219 AED 803

-32.25%

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

$44.24 AED 162

$62.0 AED 228

-28.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.6 AED 366

$101 AED 371

-1.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 AED 207

$88.7 AED 326

-36.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.33 AED 148

$45.84 AED 168

-12.02%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 AED 49.02

$15.27 AED 56.1

-12.57%

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

$244 AED 895

$849 AED 3,120

-71.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 AED 18.7K

$14.1K AED 51.9K

-64.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 AED 426

$81.0 AED 298

43.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 AED 196

$62.9 AED 231

-14.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 503

$113 AED 416

20.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 500

$120 AED 442

13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 AED 2,644

$2,450 AED 8,998

-70.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 AED 2,810

$1,589 AED 5,838

-51.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 AED 7,241

$4,667 AED 17.1K

-57.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 AED 5,599

$2,973 AED 10.9K

-48.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,839 AED 17.8K

$7,138 AED 26.2K

-32.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,944 AED 7,139

$4,288 AED 15.8K

-54.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,605 AED 5,896

$4,166 AED 15.3K

-61.47%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Dubai: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $720 in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,450 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 160% 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 $83.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $284 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 Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ras al-Khaimah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Dubai earns 160% 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 $2,450 in Dubai. 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 27% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $244 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $849 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,908 in Dubai, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ras al-Khaimah but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Ras al-Khaimah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ras al-Khaimah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dubai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ras al-Khaimah and Dubai 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 49% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.