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 $1,952 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,686 in Ruwais, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,981 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,520 in Ruwais, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,011 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,355 in Ruwais, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 16% more than Ruwais, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ras al-Khaimah and Ruwais sit above the global median – Ras al-Khaimah by 46%, Ruwais by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.78 AED 50.6

$6.79 AED 24.91

102.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.42 AED 181

$38.03 AED 140

29.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 AED 24.67

$7.60 AED 27.89

-11.58%

Cappuccino

$5.78 AED 21.20

$4.85 AED 17.79

19.18%

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

$1.31 AED 4.81

$0.81 AED 2.97

61.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 AED 2.47

$0.35 AED 1.27

91.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.74 AED 39.42

$10.42 AED 38.22

3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.19 AED 37.41

$9.72 AED 35.68

4.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 AED 6.01

$1.86 AED 6.84

-11.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 AED 5.34

$1.49 AED 5.46

-2.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 AED 6.23

$1.84 AED 6.76

-7.61%

Eggs

$2.28 AED 8.35

$3.14 AED 11.51

-27.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 AED 46.20

$2.78 AED 10.22

352.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 AED 28.90

$7.64 AED 28.05

3.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 AED 56.2

$6.88 AED 25.25

122.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 AED 8.18

$2.86 AED 10.51

-22.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 AED 6.50

$1.60 AED 5.86

10.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.46

$1.35 AED 4.94

10.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 AED 4.83

$0.78 AED 2.87

69.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 AED 3.77

$0.71 AED 2.61

45.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$0.42 AED 1.55

138.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 AED 6.37

$1.67 AED 6.12

4.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 AED 1.96

$0.67 AED 2.47

-20.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 AED 23.41

$6.51 AED 23.90

-2.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 AED 50.6

$12.35 AED 45.34

11.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 AED 9.46

$1.40 AED 5.13

84.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 AED 11.02

$2.77 AED 10.17

8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 AED 8.56

$1.66 AED 6.07

40.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 AED 235

$51.7 AED 190

23.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 AED 5.58

$2.73 AED 10.03

-44.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 AED 3.29

$0.71 AED 2.60

26.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 AED 30.31

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 AED 2.77

$0.81 AED 2.96

-6.17%

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

$46.1K AED 169.1K

$46.1K AED 169.2K

-0.05%

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

$22.2K AED 81.4K

$22.6K AED 83.0K

-1.93%

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

$149 AED 547

$91.0 AED 334

63.93%

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

$45.20 AED 166

$53.0 AED 195

-14.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 AED 379

$99.0 AED 363

4.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 AED 202

$63.0 AED 231

-12.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.37 AED 152

$40.17 AED 147

2.99%

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 AED 48.86

$11.26 AED 41.32

18.21%

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

$249 AED 913

$580 AED 2,130

-57.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,192 AED 19.1K

$3,856 AED 14.2K

34.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 AED 420

$22.21 AED 81.5

415.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 AED 196

$80.0 AED 293

-33.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 501

$79.6 AED 292

71.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 AED 505

$54.7 AED 201

151.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 AED 2,688

$758 AED 2,780

-3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 AED 2,815

$747 AED 2,743

2.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 AED 7,228

$2,544 AED 9,337

-22.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 AED 5,433

$1,382 AED 5,073

7.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,936 AED 18.1K

$5,267 AED 19.3K

-6.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,941 AED 7,123

$2,058 AED 7,551

-5.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,683 AED 6,177

$2,757 AED 10.1K

-38.95%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ruwais: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $732 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $758 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 64% 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 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $38 in Ruwais. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 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 16%, 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 $2,928 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,529 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 29% 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 $1,686, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,952. 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.