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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Ruwais is about 13% cheaper than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 AED 24.85

$13.60 AED 49.96

-50.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.18 AED 140

$49.37 AED 181

-22.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 AED 27.23

$6.80 AED 24.96

8.97%

Cappuccino

$4.61 AED 16.92

$5.67 AED 20.83

-18.69%

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

$0.74 AED 2.72

$1.25 AED 4.60

-40.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 AED 1.38

$0.68 AED 2.51

-44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.56 AED 38.78

$10.68 AED 39.21

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.51 AED 34.93

$10.05 AED 36.89

-5.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 AED 6.65

$1.58 AED 5.82

14.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 AED 5.40

$1.44 AED 5.30

2.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 AED 7.15

$1.71 AED 6.29

14.04%

Eggs

$3.08 AED 11.32

$2.28 AED 8.36

35.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.79 AED 10.26

$12.76 AED 46.87

-78.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 AED 29.05

$7.61 AED 27.95

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 AED 24.80

$15.43 AED 56.7

-56.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 AED 10.83

$2.23 AED 8.20

32.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 AED 5.89

$1.74 AED 6.39

-8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 AED 4.90

$1.48 AED 5.42

-10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 AED 3.13

$1.31 AED 4.81

-35.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 AED 2.44

$1.01 AED 3.71

-34.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 AED 1.46

$1.04 AED 3.81

-61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 AED 5.93

$1.78 AED 6.54

-9.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 AED 2.28

$0.54 AED 1.97

14.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 AED 23.79

$6.47 AED 23.75

0.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.33 AED 45.28

$13.60 AED 49.93

-9.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 AED 4.89

$2.54 AED 9.32

-47.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 AED 10.09

$2.96 AED 10.85

-7.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.13

$2.33 AED 8.56

-28.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 AED 195

$63.8 AED 234

-16.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 AED 9.81

$1.54 AED 5.66

73.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 AED 2.56

$0.95 AED 3.48

-26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 AED 30.86

$7.94 AED 29.15

5.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 AED 2.79

$0.82 AED 3.00

-7.32%

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

$45.0K AED 165.2K

$45.5K AED 167.0K

-1.05%

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

$22.4K AED 82.2K

$22.9K AED 84.1K

-2.23%

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

$90.6 AED 333

$152 AED 558

-40.42%

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

$52.3 AED 192

$44.21 AED 162

18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.4 AED 350

$101 AED 373

-6.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 AED 232

$55.4 AED 204

13.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.81 AED 143

$40.57 AED 149

-4.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 AED 41.70

$13.06 AED 47.97

-13.09%

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

$592 AED 2,174

$247 AED 906

139.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,844 AED 14.1K

$5,199 AED 19.1K

-26.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 AED 78.9

$114 AED 417

-81.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.2 AED 291

$53.8 AED 198

47.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 AED 296

$134 AED 491

-39.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.2 AED 199

$134 AED 491

-59.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 AED 2,720

$726 AED 2,666

2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 AED 2,743

$762 AED 2,798

-1.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 AED 9,121

$1,988 AED 7,301

24.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 AED 5,004

$1,490 AED 5,472

-8.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,453 AED 16.4K

$4,877 AED 17.9K

-8.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,519 AED 9,251

$1,933 AED 7,097

30.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,670 AED 9,807

$1,620 AED 5,950

64.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

4.88

-3.48%

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

Last update for Ruwais: July 26, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Ruwais versus $726 in Ras al-Khaimah. 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 $38.00 in Ruwais versus $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $267 – 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

Ruwais vs Ras al-Khaimah: 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 $2,558 per month in Ruwais and $2,942 in Ras al-Khaimah. 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 $38.00 in Ruwais and $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. 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.