Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Dubai 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Dubai is 6.7% higher than in Abu Dhabi (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Dubai is 20.8% higher than in Abu Dhabi | |
| Rent Prices in Dubai are 46.5% higher than in Abu Dhabi | |
| Restaurant Prices in Dubai are 8.1% higher than in Abu Dhabi | |
| Groceries Prices in Dubai are 2.7% higher than in Abu Dhabi | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Dubai is 1.7% higher than in Abu Dhabi | |
Restaurants | Abu Dhabi Edit |
Dubai Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 40.00 AED | 40.00 AED | 0.0 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 250.00 AED | 296.27 AED | +18.5 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 35.00 AED | 35.00 AED | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 40.00 AED | 45.00 AED | +12.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 40.00 AED | 50.00 AED | +25.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 21.45 AED | 20.52 AED | -4.3 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 4.74 AED | 4.49 AED | -5.2 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 1.56 AED | 3.36 AED | +115.9 % |
Markets | Abu Dhabi Edit |
Dubai Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 27.35 AED | 27.18 AED | -0.6 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 5.23 AED | 4.69 AED | -10.3 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 4.00 AED | 3.78 AED | -5.4 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 13.40 AED | 12.52 AED | -6.5 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 17.97 AED | 16.87 AED | -6.1 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 14.32 AED | 15.58 AED | +8.8 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 18.88 AED | 20.92 AED | +10.8 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 4.05 AED | 3.87 AED | -4.4 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 2.97 AED | 3.15 AED | +5.9 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 3.08 AED | 3.11 AED | +1.0 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.47 AED | 2.52 AED | +2.1 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.91 AED | 2.03 AED | +5.9 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 2.34 AED | 2.11 AED | -10.0 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 6.69 AED | 5.20 AED | -22.3 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.23 AED | 2.47 AED | +11.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 50.00 AED | 60.00 AED | +20.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 8.55 AED | 9.83 AED | +15.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 8.07 AED | 12.70 AED | +57.4 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 23.00 AED | 24.00 AED | +4.3 % |
Transportation | Abu Dhabi Edit |
Dubai Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.50 AED | 6.00 AED | +140.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 95.00 AED | 300.00 AED | +215.8 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 12.00 AED | 12.00 AED | 0.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 3.22 AED | 4.02 AED | +25.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 30.00 AED | 30.00 AED | 0.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 10.82 AED | 10.50 AED | -3.0 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 165,382.00 AED | 120,000.00 AED | -27.4 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 81,652.38 AED | 83,710.71 AED | +2.5 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Abu Dhabi Edit |
Dubai Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 524.64 AED | 802.89 AED | +53.0 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 187.14 AED | 224.29 AED | +19.8 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 375.72 AED | 370.65 AED | -1.4 % |
Sports And Leisure | Abu Dhabi Edit |
Dubai Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 240.77 AED | 326.24 AED | +35.5 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 126.33 AED | 167.00 AED | +32.2 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 50.00 AED | 51.00 AED | +2.0 % |
Childcare | Abu Dhabi Edit |
Dubai Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 2,324.07 AED | 3,133.33 AED | +34.8 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 45,146.19 AED | 52,456.72 AED | +16.2 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Abu Dhabi Edit |
Dubai Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 212.50 AED | 287.51 AED | +35.3 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 207.50 AED | 229.68 AED | +10.7 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 338.54 AED | 414.44 AED | +22.4 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 328.18 AED | 430.00 AED | +31.0 % |
Rent Per Month | Abu Dhabi Edit |
Dubai Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 5,382.73 AED | 8,913.04 AED | +65.6 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 3,981.75 AED | 5,676.90 AED | +42.6 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 11,209.52 AED | 16,943.74 AED | +51.2 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 8,441.67 AED | 10,975.43 AED | +30.0 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Abu Dhabi Edit |
Dubai Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 2,039.16 AED | 2,497.10 AED | +22.5 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 4,314.21 AED | 1,293.27 AED | -70.0 % |
Salaries And Financing | Abu Dhabi Edit |
Dubai Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 11,638.67 AED | 14,299.21 AED | +22.9 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 5.19 | 4.44 | -14.4 % |
| Last update: | 17 June 2025 | 22 June 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 194 | 621 |
Moving to Abu Dhabi? Explore:
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Cities near Abu Dhabi: | Cost of Living in Dubai | 94.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Sharjah | 105.93 miles |
| Cost of Living in Ras al-Khaimah | 154.78 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fujairah | 171.06 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kalba | 175.87 miles |
Cities near Dubai: | Cost of Living in Ras al-Khaimah | 62.60 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fujairah | 80.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kalba | 84.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in Abu Dhabi | 94.68 miles |