Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,948 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,621 in Umm Al Quwain, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,021 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,258 in Umm Al Quwain, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,093 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,894 in Umm Al Quwain, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 20% more than Umm Al Quwain, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ras al-Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain sit above the global median – Ras al-Khaimah by 45%, Umm Al Quwain by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 AED 49.77

$5.93 AED 21.78

128.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.69 AED 183

$27.02 AED 99.2

83.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 AED 24.26

$8.08 AED 29.66

-18.19%

Cappuccino

$5.63 AED 20.67

$3.76 AED 13.81

49.73%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$0.86 AED 3.17

53.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.49

$0.40 AED 1.48

70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 AED 40.37

$11.08 AED 40.71

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.23 AED 37.59

$11.06 AED 40.61

-7.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 AED 6.00

$1.97 AED 7.23

-17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 AED 5.39

$1.23 AED 4.51

19.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 AED 6.31

$1.39 AED 5.10

23.74%

Eggs

$2.31 AED 8.49

$1.90 AED 6.99

21.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 AED 47.33

$8.84 AED 32.47

45.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 AED 28.02

$6.66 AED 24.47

14.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 AED 55.2

$7.36 AED 27.04

104.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 AED 8.13

$1.69 AED 6.22

30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 AED 6.61

$1.25 AED 4.57

44.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.50

$1.46 AED 5.37

2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.04 AED 3.82

21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 AED 3.53

$0.92 AED 3.38

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$0.99 AED 3.63

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 AED 6.45

$0.81 AED 2.99

117.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 AED 1.83

$0.61 AED 2.24

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 AED 23.68

$6.17 AED 22.67

4.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.77

$11.04 AED 40.56

22.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.70

$1.54 AED 5.66

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 AED 10.56

$2.65 AED 9.73

8.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 AED 8.61

$1.64 AED 6.03

42.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 AED 231

$52.4 AED 192

20.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 AED 5.35

$3.32 AED 12.18

-56.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 AED 3.45

$0.81 AED 2.97

16.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 AED 30.78

$8.33 AED 30.58

0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.76

$0.77 AED 2.84

-2.60%

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

$44.9K AED 164.8K

$32.9K AED 120.7K

36.53%

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

$22.8K AED 83.8K

$22.6K AED 83.2K

0.76%

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

$148 AED 544

$139 AED 512

6.23%

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

$44.24 AED 162

$61.1 AED 224

-27.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.6 AED 366

$101 AED 369

-1.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 AED 207

$119 AED 435

-52.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.33 AED 148

$39.24 AED 144

2.78%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 AED 49.02

$13.38 AED 49.14

-0.22%

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

$244 AED 895

$587 AED 2,157

-58.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 AED 18.7K

$5,830 AED 21.4K

-12.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 AED 426

$58.5 AED 215

98.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 AED 196

$60.7 AED 223

-11.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 503

$86.2 AED 317

58.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 500

$92.3 AED 339

47.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 AED 2,644

$679 AED 2,494

6.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 AED 2,810

$541 AED 1,985

41.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 AED 7,241

$1,001 AED 3,676

96.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 AED 5,599

$827 AED 3,037

84.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,839 AED 17.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,944 AED 7,139

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,605 AED 5,896

$3,423 AED 12.6K

-53.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

4.53

7.73%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Umm Al Quwain: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $679 in Umm Al Quwain. 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 113% higher in Umm Al Quwain, 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 $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $27.00 in Umm Al Quwain. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $204 – making Umm Al Quwain 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 Umm Al Quwain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,922 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,432 in Umm Al Quwain. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah and $27.00 in Umm Al Quwain. 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 Umm Al Quwain, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,948. In Umm Al Quwain it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ras al-Khaimah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umm Al Quwain – 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 Umm Al Quwain. 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.