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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,948 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,021 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,093 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah is about 6% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ras al-Khaimah and Montreal sit above the global median – Ras al-Khaimah by 45%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 AED 49.77

$15.92 CA$22.05

-14.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.69 AED 183

$73.1 CA$101

-31.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 AED 24.26

$11.15 CA$15.43

-40.72%

Cappuccino

$5.63 AED 20.67

$3.80 CA$5.26

48.16%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$2.18 CA$3.01

-39.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.49

$1.46 CA$2.02

-53.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 AED 40.37

$6.12 CA$8.48

79.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.23 AED 37.59

$6.78 CA$9.38

50.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 AED 6.00

$2.33 CA$3.22

-30.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 AED 5.39

$3.39 CA$4.69

-56.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 AED 6.31

$3.73 CA$5.16

-53.89%

Eggs

$2.31 AED 8.49

$3.38 CA$4.68

-31.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 AED 47.33

$16.25 CA$22.50

-20.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 AED 28.02

$11.54 CA$15.98

-33.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 AED 55.2

$15.24 CA$21.10

-1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 AED 8.13

$3.74 CA$5.18

-40.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 AED 6.61

$1.70 CA$2.36

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.50

$4.11 CA$5.68

-63.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$4.35 CA$6.02

-71.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 AED 3.53

$2.71 CA$3.75

-64.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$2.62 CA$3.62

-61.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 AED 6.45

$2.25 CA$3.12

-21.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 AED 1.83

$1.73 CA$2.39

-71.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 AED 23.68

$13.31 CA$18.43

-51.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.77

$10.78 CA$14.93

25.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.70

$3.01 CA$4.17

-12.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 AED 10.56

$3.46 CA$4.80

-16.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 AED 8.61

$2.74 CA$3.79

-14.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 AED 231

$72.7 CA$101

-13.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 AED 5.35

$3.63 CA$5.03

-59.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 AED 3.45

$1.46 CA$2.02

-35.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 AED 30.78

$33.44 CA$46.30

-74.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.76

$1.21 CA$1.68

-38.02%

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

$44.9K AED 164.8K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

82.04%

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

$22.8K AED 83.8K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

5.24%

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

$148 AED 544

$76.0 CA$105

94.83%

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

$44.24 AED 162

$35.72 CA$49.46

23.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.6 AED 366

$42.86 CA$59.4

132.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 AED 207

$42.92 CA$59.4

31.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.33 AED 148

$17.23 CA$23.86

134.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 AED 49.02

$11.09 CA$15.35

20.38%

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

$244 AED 895

$620 CA$858

-60.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 AED 18.7K

$5,834 CA$8,078

-12.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 AED 426

$62.7 CA$86.8

84.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 AED 196

$44.41 CA$61.5

20.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 503

$101 CA$139

35.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 500

$119 CA$165

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 AED 2,644

$1,211 CA$1,677

-40.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 AED 2,810

$960 CA$1,329

-20.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 AED 7,241

$2,035 CA$2,818

-3.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 AED 5,599

$1,589 CA$2,201

-4.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,839 AED 17.8K

$5,181 CA$7,173

-6.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,944 AED 7,139

$3,934 CA$5,446

-50.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,605 AED 5,896

$2,960 CA$4,098

-45.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

5.01

-2.59%

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 Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $1,211 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 84% higher in Montreal, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $392 – making Ras al-Khaimah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 6% more than Ras al-Khaimah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,922 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $3,094 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ras al-Khaimah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah and $73.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ras al-Khaimah, where all-in costs run around $1,948, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Ras al-Khaimah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ras al-Khaimah costs $1,948 versus $2,063 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ras al-Khaimah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.