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 $1,961 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,706 in Ruwais, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,027 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,478 in Ruwais, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,093 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,251 in Ruwais, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 15% more than Ruwais, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ras al-Khaimah and Ruwais sit above the global median – Ras al-Khaimah by 47%, Ruwais by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.60 AED 49.96

$6.77 AED 24.85

100.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 AED 181

$38.18 AED 140

29.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 AED 24.96

$7.41 AED 27.23

-8.23%

Cappuccino

$5.67 AED 20.83

$4.61 AED 16.92

22.99%

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

$1.25 AED 4.60

$0.74 AED 2.72

68.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.51

$0.38 AED 1.38

78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.68 AED 39.21

$10.56 AED 38.78

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 AED 36.89

$9.51 AED 34.93

5.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 AED 5.82

$1.81 AED 6.65

-12.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 AED 5.30

$1.47 AED 5.40

-2.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 AED 6.29

$1.95 AED 7.15

-12.31%

Eggs

$2.28 AED 8.36

$3.08 AED 11.32

-25.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 AED 46.87

$2.79 AED 10.26

357.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 AED 27.95

$7.91 AED 29.05

-3.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.43 AED 56.7

$6.75 AED 24.80

128.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 AED 8.20

$2.95 AED 10.83

-24.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 AED 6.39

$1.60 AED 5.89

8.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 AED 5.42

$1.33 AED 4.90

11.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 AED 4.81

$0.85 AED 3.13

54.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 AED 3.71

$0.66 AED 2.44

53.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 AED 3.81

$0.40 AED 1.46

160.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 AED 6.54

$1.61 AED 5.93

10.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 AED 1.97

$0.62 AED 2.28

-12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 AED 23.75

$6.48 AED 23.79

-0.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.60 AED 49.93

$12.33 AED 45.28

10.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 AED 9.32

$1.33 AED 4.89

90.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 AED 10.85

$2.75 AED 10.09

7.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 AED 8.56

$1.67 AED 6.13

39.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 AED 234

$53.2 AED 195

20.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.66

$2.67 AED 9.81

-42.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 AED 3.48

$0.70 AED 2.56

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 AED 29.15

$8.40 AED 30.86

-5.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 AED 3.00

$0.76 AED 2.79

7.89%

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

$45.5K AED 167.0K

$45.0K AED 165.2K

1.06%

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

$22.9K AED 84.1K

$22.4K AED 82.2K

2.29%

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

$152 AED 558

$90.6 AED 333

67.83%

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

$44.21 AED 162

$52.3 AED 192

-15.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 373

$95.4 AED 350

6.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 AED 204

$63.1 AED 232

-12.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.57 AED 149

$38.81 AED 143

4.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 AED 47.97

$11.35 AED 41.70

15.07%

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

$247 AED 906

$592 AED 2,174

-58.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,199 AED 19.1K

$3,844 AED 14.1K

35.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 AED 417

$21.48 AED 78.9

428.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 AED 198

$79.2 AED 291

-32.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 AED 491

$80.7 AED 296

65.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 AED 491

$54.2 AED 199

146.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 AED 2,666

$741 AED 2,720

-1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$762 AED 2,798

$747 AED 2,743

2.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 AED 7,301

$2,483 AED 9,121

-19.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 AED 5,472

$1,363 AED 5,004

9.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,877 AED 17.9K

$4,453 AED 16.4K

9.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,933 AED 7,097

$2,519 AED 9,251

-23.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,620 AED 5,950

$2,670 AED 9,807

-39.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

4.71

3.61%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: July 28, 2026

Last update for Ruwais: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $726 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $741 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 65% higher in Ruwais, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $38.00 in Ruwais. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $209 – making Ruwais 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 Ruwais: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,942 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,558 in Ruwais. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 28% more in Ras al-Khaimah, 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 $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah and $38.00 in Ruwais. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ruwais, where all-in costs run around $1,706, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,961. In Ruwais it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ras al-Khaimah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ruwais – 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 Ruwais. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ras al-Khaimah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.