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 $1,745 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,761 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,777 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah is about 15% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ras al-Khaimah and Montreal sit above the global median – Ras al-Khaimah by 27%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.04 AED 44.22

$17.85 CA$24.62

-32.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 AED 167

$72.3 CA$99.7

-37.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 AED 27.45

$10.92 CA$15.06

-31.50%

Cappuccino

$5.51 AED 20.24

$3.97 CA$5.47

38.79%

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

$1.11 AED 4.07

$2.07 CA$2.86

-46.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.60

$1.55 CA$2.13

-71.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.06 AED 36.94

$6.41 CA$8.85

56.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 AED 35.93

$7.29 CA$10.05

34.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 AED 6.29

$2.39 CA$3.29

-28.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 AED 7.56

$3.21 CA$4.42

-35.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 AED 6.91

$3.07 CA$4.23

-38.76%

Eggs

$2.42 AED 8.88

$3.68 CA$5.07

-34.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 AED 45.90

$13.57 CA$18.72

-7.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 AED 35.56

$11.63 CA$16.03

-16.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 AED 57.9

$13.97 CA$19.27

12.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 AED 7.30

$3.68 CA$5.08

-45.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 AED 5.85

$1.56 CA$2.15

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.51

$3.41 CA$4.70

-56.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 AED 4.93

$3.03 CA$4.17

-55.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.56

$1.98 CA$2.74

-51.01%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 AED 3.38

$1.82 CA$2.52

-49.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 AED 6.44

$2.56 CA$3.53

-31.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 AED 1.75

$1.39 CA$1.92

-65.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 AED 24.87

$11.49 CA$15.85

-41.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 AED 50.2

$10.92 CA$15.06

25.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AED 9.25

$2.26 CA$3.12

11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 AED 10.49

$3.01 CA$4.15

-4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 AED 7.82

$2.69 CA$3.71

-20.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 AED 411

$75.3 CA$104

48.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 AED 6.30

$3.35 CA$4.62

-48.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.89

$1.50 CA$2.07

-47.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 AED 29.23

$33.70 CA$46.47

-76.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 AED 3.26

$1.29 CA$1.78

-31.01%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

63.58%

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

$21.8K AED 80.2K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

9.40%

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

$124 AED 456

$80.4 CA$111

54.65%

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

$45.14 AED 166

$34.23 CA$47.21

31.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 AED 292

$41.39 CA$57.1

92.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 AED 211

$29.24 CA$40.32

96.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.71 AED 150

$19.89 CA$27.43

104.68%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 AED 48.00

$11.71 CA$16.15

11.61%

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

$296 AED 1,086

$564 CA$778

-47.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 AED 16.2K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

-73.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 AED 303

$59.5 CA$82.1

38.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 AED 192

$42.13 CA$58.1

24.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 AED 466

$107 CA$148

18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 AED 422

$111 CA$153

3.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 AED 2,768

$1,284 CA$1,770

-41.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 AED 2,135

$990 CA$1,365

-41.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 AED 6,029

$2,260 CA$3,116

-27.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 AED 4,655

$1,667 CA$2,299

-23.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,911 AED 18.0K

$5,287 CA$7,291

-7.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 AED 7,157

$3,813 CA$5,258

-48.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 AED 5,818

$3,019 CA$4,163

-47.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.92

4.41

11.56%

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 Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $1,284 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 91% 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 $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $72.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $356 – 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 18% 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 $2,617 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $3,084 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 26% 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 $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah and $72.0 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 $1,745, than in Montreal at $2,056. 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 $1,745 versus $2,056 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.