Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Mussaffah

For one person, living costs are similar in Ras al-Khaimah and in Mussaffah: $1,834 and $1,881 a month, rent and utilities included.

89

Cost of Living Index in Ras al-Khaimah
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Ras al-Khaimah Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Mussaffah
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Mussaffah Living Index

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Ras al-Khaimah

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$1,834

/mo nomad

Mussaffah

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$1,881

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ras al-Khaimah and in Mussaffah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ras al-Khaimah and in Mussaffah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,834 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,881 in Mussaffah, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah $1,834
Mussaffah $1,881

A couple spends around $2,800 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,357 in Mussaffah, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah $2,800
Mussaffah $3,357

A family of three spends $3,765 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $4,833 in Mussaffah, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah $3,765
Mussaffah $4,833

Ras al-Khaimah is about 3% cheaper than Mussaffah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Ras al-Khaimah and Mussaffah sit above the global median – Ras al-Khaimah by 35%, Mussaffah by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.44 AED 49.37

$6.89 AED 25.32

95.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.94 AED 150

$32.36 AED 119

26.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 AED 27.24

$9.61 AED 35.30

-22.79%

Cappuccino

$5.59 AED 20.52

$4.82 AED 17.70

15.98%

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

$1.10 AED 4.03

$0.74 AED 2.71

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 AED 1.64

$0.29 AED 1.06

55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.39 AED 38.16

$9.70 AED 35.64

7.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.61 AED 35.28

$9.44 AED 34.69

1.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 AED 6.31

$1.77 AED 6.49

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 AED 7.45

$1.15 AED 4.24

76.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 AED 7.20

$1.94 AED 7.11

1.03%

Eggs

$2.39 AED 8.77

$3.21 AED 11.79

-25.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.67 AED 46.54

$8.53 AED 31.33

48.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.55 AED 35.08

$6.55 AED 24.06

45.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 AED 57.5

$10.27 AED 37.73

52.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 AED 7.60

$2.27 AED 8.33

-8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 AED 6.09

$1.73 AED 6.37

-4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.66

$1.32 AED 4.85

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 AED 4.76

$1.29 AED 4.73

0.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 AED 3.35

$1.04 AED 3.81

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 AED 3.26

$1.10 AED 4.05

-19.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 AED 6.37

$1.48 AED 5.42

16.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 AED 1.70

$0.58 AED 2.14

-20.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 AED 24.54

$6.28 AED 23.06

6.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.38 AED 49.16

$13.77 AED 50.6

-2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.67

$2.52 AED 9.26

4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 AED 10.53

$2.47 AED 9.06

16.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 AED 7.77

$2.17 AED 7.96

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$133 AED 487

$33.63 AED 124

294.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 AED 6.06

$3.26 AED 11.96

-49.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 AED 2.97

$0.56 AED 2.05

44.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 AED 30.87

$8.39 AED 30.81

0.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 AED 3.35

$0.94 AED 3.47

-3.19%

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

$26.4K AED 97.1K

$25.5K AED 93.5K

3.80%

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

$21.7K AED 79.5K

$21.3K AED 78.2K

1.62%

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

$125 AED 460

$189 AED 695

-33.85%

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

$38.58 AED 142

$58.4 AED 214

-33.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.2 AED 291

$93.6 AED 344

-15.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 AED 199

$56.7 AED 208

-4.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.88 AED 150

$28.09 AED 103

45.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 AED 48.38

$13.85 AED 50.9

-4.91%

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

$328 AED 1,203

$685 AED 2,516

-52.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,478 AED 16.4K

$8,383 AED 30.8K

-46.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 AED 296

$58.8 AED 216

37.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 AED 192

$48.13 AED 177

8.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 AED 428

$109 AED 399

7.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 AED 418

$96.3 AED 354

18.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 AED 2,714

$805 AED 2,958

-8.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 AED 2,363

$818 AED 3,005

-21.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 AED 5,722

$1,818 AED 6,678

-14.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 AED 4,506

$2,720 AED 9,989

-54.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,263 AED 23.0K

$4,854 AED 17.8K

29.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,138 AED 11.5K

$2,376 AED 8,727

32.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,588 AED 5,831

$2,910 AED 10.7K

-45.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.92

4.55

8.13%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mussaffah: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ras al-Khaimah

$643 35.1%

Mussaffah

$818 43.5% 27.2% $175

Groceries & Markets

Ras al-Khaimah

$283 15.4%

Mussaffah

$236 12.5% 16.8% $47

Eating Out

Ras al-Khaimah

$274 15%

Mussaffah

$213 11.3% 22.2% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ras al-Khaimah

$243 13.2%

Mussaffah

$341 18.1% 40.4% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Ras al-Khaimah

$163 8.9%

Mussaffah

$140 7.5% 14.1% $23

Getting Around

Ras al-Khaimah

$147 8%

Mussaffah

$48 2.6% 67.1% $98

Sport & Entertainment

Ras al-Khaimah

$80 4.4%

Mussaffah

$84 4.5% 4.9% $4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $739 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $805 in Mussaffah. 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 83% higher in Mussaffah. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $32 in Mussaffah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $236 – making Mussaffah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇪 Ras al-Khaimah

🇦🇪 Mussaffah

🕒 Local time

19:16 7:16 PM

Same time as Ras al-Khaimah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

241,000

243,341

💱 Currency

UAE Dirham AED د.إ

📈 Exchange rate

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.244 EUR

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.244 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Ras al-Khaimah Mussaffah 220 km

From you

Ras al-Khaimah
Mussaffah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mussaffah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mussaffah is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,751 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,822 in Mussaffah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $739 in Ras al-Khaimah and $805 in Mussaffah. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $328 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $685 in Mussaffah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Mussaffah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,834 in Ras al-Khaimah and $1,881 in Mussaffah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ras al-Khaimah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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