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 $1,943 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,570 in Umm Al Quwain, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,976 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,232 in Umm Al Quwain, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,008 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,893 in Umm Al Quwain, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 24% 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 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 AED 49.46

$5.89 AED 21.62

128.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 AED 181

$27.46 AED 101

79.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 AED 25.56

$8.22 AED 30.21

-15.33%

Cappuccino

$5.55 AED 20.37

$3.69 AED 13.57

50.41%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$0.86 AED 3.16

53.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 AED 2.63

$0.41 AED 1.50

75.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.87 AED 39.92

$10.68 AED 39.24

1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 AED 36.91

$11.02 AED 40.48

-8.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$1.90 AED 6.98

-17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 AED 5.32

$1.22 AED 4.47

18.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 AED 6.24

$1.41 AED 5.17

20.57%

Eggs

$2.21 AED 8.11

$1.90 AED 6.96

16.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 AED 47.15

$8.77 AED 32.22

46.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 AED 27.87

$6.71 AED 24.64

13.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 AED 56.1

$7.28 AED 26.75

109.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 AED 8.03

$1.66 AED 6.11

31.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 AED 6.47

$1.30 AED 4.77

35.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.54

$1.46 AED 5.35

3.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 AED 4.80

$1.06 AED 3.88

23.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.55

$0.93 AED 3.42

4.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 AED 3.80

$1.03 AED 3.77

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 AED 6.60

$0.82 AED 3.00

119.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 AED 1.86

$0.61 AED 2.24

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 AED 23.10

$6.40 AED 23.51

-1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 AED 49.60

$10.84 AED 39.79

24.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.67

$1.58 AED 5.82

66.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 AED 10.87

$2.71 AED 9.94

9.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 AED 8.68

$1.59 AED 5.85

48.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 AED 236

$52.6 AED 193

22.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.65

$3.24 AED 11.88

-52.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 AED 3.41

$0.84 AED 3.10

10.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 AED 30.90

$8.11 AED 29.80

3.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 AED 2.93

$0.73 AED 2.68

9.59%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$32.8K AED 120.3K

41.24%

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

$22.4K AED 82.3K

$22.7K AED 83.3K

-1.22%

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

$149 AED 549

$137 AED 504

8.78%

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

$45.04 AED 165

$61.4 AED 226

-26.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$102 AED 375

-1.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 AED 207

$123 AED 452

-54.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.13 AED 151

$40.23 AED 148

2.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 AED 49.35

$13.70 AED 50.3

-1.90%

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

$248 AED 912

$597 AED 2,193

-58.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,208 AED 19.1K

$5,667 AED 20.8K

-8.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 AED 430

$59.2 AED 217

97.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 AED 197

$60.5 AED 222

-11.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 502

$83.4 AED 306

63.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 498

$94.0 AED 345

44.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 AED 2,637

$693 AED 2,547

3.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 AED 2,874

$551 AED 2,023

42.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 AED 7,322

$1,002 AED 3,681

98.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 AED 5,554

$813 AED 2,988

85.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,828 AED 17.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 AED 7,217

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,571 AED 5,770

$3,339 AED 12.3K

-52.95%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Umm Al Quwain: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $718 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $693 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 $49.00 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 24%, 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 $2,914 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,355 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 $49.00 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Umm Al Quwain, where all-in costs run around $1,570, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,943. 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.