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: $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,832 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,976 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $4,340 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,008 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $5,848 in Dubai.

Living in Ras al-Khaimah costs roughly 31% less than in Dubai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ras al-Khaimah 45% above, Dubai 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 AED 49.46

$10.76 AED 39.52

25.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 AED 181

$80.4 AED 295

-38.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 AED 25.56

$9.77 AED 35.87

-28.76%

Cappuccino

$5.55 AED 20.37

$5.76 AED 21.15

-3.65%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$1.19 AED 4.37

10.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 AED 2.63

$0.90 AED 3.31

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.87 AED 39.92

$12.10 AED 44.45

-10.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 AED 36.91

$13.64 AED 50.1

-26.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$1.96 AED 7.20

-19.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 AED 5.32

$1.43 AED 5.25

1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 AED 6.24

$2.18 AED 8.00

-22.02%

Eggs

$2.21 AED 8.11

$3.41 AED 12.54

-35.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 AED 47.15

$10.08 AED 37.01

27.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 AED 27.87

$9.21 AED 33.82

-17.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 AED 56.1

$12.68 AED 46.59

20.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 AED 8.03

$2.36 AED 8.66

-7.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 AED 6.47

$1.95 AED 7.15

-9.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.54

$1.87 AED 6.86

-19.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 AED 4.80

$1.54 AED 5.67

-14.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.55

$1.19 AED 4.35

-18.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 AED 3.80

$1.26 AED 4.62

-18.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 AED 6.60

$1.40 AED 5.13

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 AED 1.86

$0.66 AED 2.41

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 AED 23.10

$6.71 AED 24.64

-6.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 AED 49.60

$16.63 AED 61.1

-18.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.67

$2.63 AED 9.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 AED 10.87

$3.56 AED 13.06

-16.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 AED 8.68

$1.65 AED 6.06

43.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 AED 236

$83.2 AED 306

-22.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.65

$3.20 AED 11.76

-51.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 AED 3.41

$0.81 AED 2.97

14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 AED 30.90

$8.07 AED 29.62

4.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 AED 2.93

$0.75 AED 2.75

6.67%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$32.6K AED 119.9K

41.73%

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

$22.4K AED 82.3K

$22.9K AED 84.0K

-1.96%

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

$149 AED 549

$215 AED 789

-30.43%

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

$45.04 AED 165

$61.8 AED 227

-27.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$102 AED 375

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 AED 207

$86.9 AED 319

-35.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.13 AED 151

$46.46 AED 171

-11.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 AED 49.35

$15.23 AED 55.9

-11.75%

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

$248 AED 912

$851 AED 3,126

-70.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,208 AED 19.1K

$14.0K AED 51.5K

-62.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 AED 430

$82.4 AED 302

42.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 AED 197

$62.2 AED 228

-13.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 502

$114 AED 418

20.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 498

$120 AED 439

13.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 AED 2,637

$2,465 AED 9,051

-70.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 AED 2,874

$1,566 AED 5,751

-50.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 AED 7,322

$4,655 AED 17.1K

-57.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 AED 5,554

$2,950 AED 10.8K

-48.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,828 AED 17.7K

$7,113 AED 26.1K

-32.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 AED 7,217

$4,104 AED 15.1K

-52.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,571 AED 5,770

$3,390 AED 12.4K

-53.65%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dubai: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $718 in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,465 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 116% 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: $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $80.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 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 Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ras al-Khaimah is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 116% 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: $718 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,465 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 29% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $248 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $851 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $2,832 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 46% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.