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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,806 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,929 in Ruwais, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,813 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,453 in Ruwais, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,820 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $4,977 in Ruwais, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah is about 6% cheaper than Ruwais, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ras al-Khaimah and Ruwais sit above the global median – Ras al-Khaimah by 31%, Ruwais by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.78 AED 50.6

$9.29 AED 34.11

48.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.42 AED 148

$54.1 AED 199

-25.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 AED 27.93

$8.63 AED 31.71

-11.94%

Cappuccino

$5.64 AED 20.73

$4.75 AED 17.46

18.74%

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

$1.10 AED 4.04

$0.69 AED 2.52

59.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.63

$0.32 AED 1.19

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.37 AED 38.08

$8.11 AED 29.78

27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.25 AED 33.96

$6.72 AED 24.68

37.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 AED 6.05

$1.80 AED 6.62

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 AED 7.40

$1.59 AED 5.85

26.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 AED 7.13

$2.32 AED 8.53

-16.38%

Eggs

$2.38 AED 8.73

$2.81 AED 10.30

-15.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.67 AED 46.52

$9.47 AED 34.78

33.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 AED 35.12

$11.02 AED 40.47

-13.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 AED 58.0

$9.11 AED 33.45

73.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 AED 7.65

$2.98 AED 10.93

-30.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 AED 6.06

$1.97 AED 7.24

-16.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.67

$1.94 AED 7.12

-20.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 AED 5.03

$1.56 AED 5.75

-12.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 AED 3.43

$1.13 AED 4.16

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 AED 3.23

$1.31 AED 4.79

-32.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 AED 6.42

$0.79 AED 2.92

121.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 AED 1.71

$0.56 AED 2.04

-16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 AED 25.41

$6.24 AED 22.93

10.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 AED 50.4

$12.26 AED 45.04

11.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.70

$2.72 AED 10.01

-2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 AED 10.70

$2.79 AED 10.26

4.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 AED 8.11

$2.49 AED 9.15

-11.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 AED 421

$38.78 AED 142

195.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 AED 6.01

$2.30 AED 8.44

-28.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 AED 2.96

$1.15 AED 4.21

-29.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 AED 30.25

$7.83 AED 28.77

5.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 AED 3.01

$0.79 AED 2.89

3.80%

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

$45.7K AED 167.9K

$44.8K AED 164.7K

1.95%

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

$21.7K AED 79.6K

$21.7K AED 79.7K

-0.22%

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

$122 AED 447

$112 AED 412

8.63%

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

$45.02 AED 165

$47.44 AED 174

-5.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 AED 285

$95.6 AED 351

-18.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 AED 208

$60.0 AED 220

-5.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.55 AED 149

$27.99 AED 103

44.87%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 AED 48.20

$13.72 AED 50.4

-4.37%

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

$298 AED 1,093

$560 AED 2,057

-46.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,580 AED 16.8K

$7,558 AED 27.8K

-39.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 AED 301

$43.72 AED 161

87.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 AED 193

$54.8 AED 201

-4.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 AED 432

$70.6 AED 259

66.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 AED 428

$100 AED 368

16.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 AED 2,689

$873 AED 3,208

-16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 AED 2,364

$866 AED 3,182

-25.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 AED 6,096

$1,688 AED 6,200

-1.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 AED 4,679

$2,680 AED 9,844

-52.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,857 AED 17.8K

$5,670 AED 20.8K

-14.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,953 AED 7,173

$2,306 AED 8,468

-15.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 AED 5,887

$2,769 AED 10.2K

-42.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.92

-1.60%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ruwais: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $732 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $873 in Ruwais. 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 73% higher in Ruwais, 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 $40.00 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $54.0 in Ruwais. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $267 in Ruwais – so Ruwais wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ruwais: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ruwais is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,710 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,893 in Ruwais. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Ruwais – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Ras al-Khaimah and $54.0 in Ruwais. 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 $1,806, than in Ruwais at $1,929. In Ras al-Khaimah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ruwais it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 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, Ruwais makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.