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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Umm Al Quwain is about 17% cheaper than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 AED 21.78

$13.55 AED 49.77

-56.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.02 AED 99.2

$49.69 AED 183

-45.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 AED 29.66

$6.61 AED 24.26

22.24%

Cappuccino

$3.76 AED 13.81

$5.63 AED 20.67

-33.21%

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

$0.86 AED 3.17

$1.32 AED 4.83

-34.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 AED 1.48

$0.68 AED 2.49

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.08 AED 40.71

$10.99 AED 40.37

0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.06 AED 40.61

$10.23 AED 37.59

8.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 AED 7.23

$1.63 AED 6.00

20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 AED 4.51

$1.47 AED 5.39

-16.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 AED 5.10

$1.72 AED 6.31

-19.19%

Eggs

$1.90 AED 6.99

$2.31 AED 8.49

-17.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 AED 32.47

$12.89 AED 47.33

-31.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 AED 24.47

$7.63 AED 28.02

-12.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.36 AED 27.04

$15.03 AED 55.2

-51.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 AED 6.22

$2.21 AED 8.13

-23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 AED 4.57

$1.80 AED 6.61

-30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 AED 5.37

$1.50 AED 5.50

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 AED 3.82

$1.26 AED 4.62

-17.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 AED 3.38

$0.96 AED 3.53

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 AED 3.63

$1.00 AED 3.67

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 AED 2.99

$1.76 AED 6.45

-53.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 AED 2.24

$0.50 AED 1.83

22.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.17 AED 22.67

$6.45 AED 23.68

-4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 AED 40.56

$13.55 AED 49.77

-18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 AED 5.66

$2.64 AED 9.70

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 AED 9.73

$2.88 AED 10.56

-7.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 AED 6.03

$2.34 AED 8.61

-29.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 AED 192

$63.0 AED 231

-16.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 AED 12.18

$1.46 AED 5.35

127.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 AED 2.97

$0.94 AED 3.45

-13.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.33 AED 30.58

$8.38 AED 30.78

-0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 AED 2.84

$0.75 AED 2.76

2.67%

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

$32.9K AED 120.7K

$44.9K AED 164.8K

-26.75%

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

$22.6K AED 83.2K

$22.8K AED 83.8K

-0.75%

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

$139 AED 512

$148 AED 544

-5.87%

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

$61.1 AED 224

$44.24 AED 162

38.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 369

$99.6 AED 366

1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$119 AED 435

$56.2 AED 207

110.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.24 AED 144

$40.33 AED 148

-2.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 AED 49.14

$13.35 AED 49.02

0.22%

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

$587 AED 2,157

$244 AED 895

140.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,830 AED 21.4K

$5,084 AED 18.7K

14.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 AED 215

$116 AED 426

-49.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 AED 223

$53.5 AED 196

13.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 AED 317

$137 AED 503

-37.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 AED 339

$136 AED 500

-32.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$679 AED 2,494

$720 AED 2,644

-5.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 AED 1,985

$765 AED 2,810

-29.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 AED 3,676

$1,972 AED 7,241

-49.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 AED 3,037

$1,524 AED 5,599

-45.76%

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)

$3,423 AED 12.6K

$1,605 AED 5,896

113.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.88

-7.17%

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

Last update for Umm Al Quwain: May 31, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $679 in Umm Al Quwain versus $720 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 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 $27.00 in Umm Al Quwain versus $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $267 – 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

Umm Al Quwain vs Ras al-Khaimah: 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 $2,432 per month in Umm Al Quwain and $2,922 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 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 $27.00 in Umm Al Quwain and $50.0 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 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.