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: $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,822 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,761 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $4,416 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,777 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $6,010 in Dubai.

Living in Ras al-Khaimah costs roughly 38% less than in Dubai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ras al-Khaimah 27% above, Dubai 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.04 AED 44.22

$12.95 AED 47.55

-7.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 AED 167

$80.6 AED 296

-43.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 AED 27.45

$9.43 AED 34.63

-20.68%

Cappuccino

$5.51 AED 20.24

$6.16 AED 22.62

-10.55%

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

$1.11 AED 4.07

$1.69 AED 6.22

-34.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.60

$0.78 AED 2.87

-43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.06 AED 36.94

$13.45 AED 49.38

-25.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 AED 35.93

$13.65 AED 50.1

-28.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 AED 6.29

$1.77 AED 6.51

-3.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 AED 7.56

$1.55 AED 5.69

32.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 AED 6.91

$2.56 AED 9.40

-26.56%

Eggs

$2.42 AED 8.88

$3.22 AED 11.84

-24.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 AED 45.90

$12.57 AED 46.17

-0.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 AED 35.56

$9.64 AED 35.39

0.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 AED 57.9

$13.39 AED 49.17

17.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 AED 7.30

$2.67 AED 9.79

-25.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 AED 5.85

$1.92 AED 7.06

-17.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.51

$1.85 AED 6.79

-18.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 AED 4.93

$1.37 AED 5.04

-2.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.56

$1.15 AED 4.21

-15.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 AED 3.38

$1.00 AED 3.67

-8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 AED 6.44

$1.50 AED 5.50

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 AED 1.75

$0.68 AED 2.50

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 AED 24.87

$5.91 AED 21.71

14.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 AED 50.2

$16.16 AED 59.4

-15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AED 9.25

$2.77 AED 10.19

-9.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 AED 10.49

$3.27 AED 12.01

-12.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 AED 7.82

$1.67 AED 6.13

27.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 AED 411

$67.5 AED 248

65.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 AED 6.30

$3.35 AED 12.29

-48.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.89

$0.67 AED 2.46

17.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 AED 29.23

$8.26 AED 30.34

-3.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 AED 3.26

$0.97 AED 3.56

-8.25%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$27.4K AED 100.8K

68.57%

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

$21.8K AED 80.2K

$22.0K AED 80.8K

-0.82%

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

$124 AED 456

$250 AED 920

-50.38%

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

$45.14 AED 166

$53.7 AED 197

-15.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 AED 292

$95.2 AED 350

-16.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 AED 211

$96.8 AED 356

-40.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.71 AED 150

$45.40 AED 167

-10.33%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 AED 48.00

$16.56 AED 60.8

-21.07%

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

$296 AED 1,086

$844 AED 3,100

-64.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 AED 16.2K

$18.2K AED 66.9K

-75.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 AED 303

$74.5 AED 274

10.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 AED 192

$58.1 AED 213

-9.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 AED 466

$102 AED 375

24.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 AED 422

$100 AED 368

14.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 AED 2,768

$2,530 AED 9,291

-70.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 AED 2,135

$1,525 AED 5,599

-61.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 AED 6,029

$4,580 AED 16.8K

-64.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 AED 4,655

$3,050 AED 11.2K

-58.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,911 AED 18.0K

$7,071 AED 26.0K

-30.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 AED 7,157

$3,971 AED 14.6K

-50.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 AED 5,818

$3,440 AED 12.6K

-53.95%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Dubai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $754 in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,530 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 117% 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 $81.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $294 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, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 117% lower in Dubai. 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 $2,530 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 66% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $296 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $844 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,822 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 62% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.