Cost of Living in United Arab Emirates
Summary of cost of living in United Arab Emirates:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 3,471.7$ (12,749.9AED), excluding rent.
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 983.2$ (3,610.7AED), excluding rent.
- Cost of living in United Arab Emirates is, on average, 18.1% lower than in United States.
- Rent in United Arab Emirates is, on average, 4.7% higher than in United States.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 30.00 AED | |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 245.00 AED | |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 35.00 AED | |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 43.00 AED | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 45.00 AED | |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 20.00 AED | |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.98 AED | |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 2.01 AED | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 6.73 AED | |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 4.67 AED | |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 3.64 AED | |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 11.35 AED | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 18.16 AED | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 14.77 AED | |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 19.32 AED | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 3.83 AED | |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 2.93 AED | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.81 AED | |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 2.22 AED | |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 1.82 AED | |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1.94 AED | |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 5.48 AED | |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 2.23 AED | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 55.00 AED | |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 8.75 AED | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 10.28 AED | |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 23.00 AED | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 5.00 AED | |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 200.00 AED | |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 12.00 AED | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 4.02 AED | |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 30.00 AED | |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 2.84 AED | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 163,937.00 AED | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 82,518.67 AED | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 663.78 AED | |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 212.15 AED | |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 367.99 AED | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 248.25 AED | |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 150.83 AED | |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 50.00 AED | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 2,553.64 AED | |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 45,913.83 AED | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 250.24 AED | |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 225.07 AED | |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 398.91 AED | |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 398.05 AED | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 6,155.58 AED | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 4,263.13 AED | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 12,612.99 AED | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 9,232.90 AED | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 2,222.85 AED | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 1,275.15 AED | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 11,768.14 AED | |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 4.64 |
Prices in United Arab Emirates
This country had 6068 entries in the past 12 months by 761 different contributors.
Last update: 2 November 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Last update: 2 November 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Sources and References
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Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
By City in United Arab Emirates
Rank |
City |
Cost of Living Index |
Rent Index |
Cost of Living Plus Rent Index |
Groceries Index |
Restaurant Price Index |
Local Purchasing Power Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | 61.4 | 60.9 | 61.2 | 45.9 | 65.2 | 119.6 | |
| Abu Dhabi | 56.8 | 43.5 | 51.0 | 44.9 | 59.2 | 110.9 | |
| Ras al-Khaimah | 53.8 | 22.7 | 40.4 | 46.5 | 49.6 | 92.4 | |
| Sharjah | 51.1 | 22.6 | 38.8 | 37.3 | 37.7 | 107.7 |
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