Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Dubai 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Consumer Prices in Dubai are 13.6% higher than in Abu Dhabi (without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Dubai are 11.3% higher than in Abu Dhabi
Rent Prices in Dubai are 8.1% higher than in Abu Dhabi
Restaurant Prices in Dubai are 15.6% higher than in Abu Dhabi
Groceries Prices in Dubai are 12.8% higher than in Abu Dhabi
Local Purchasing Power in Dubai is 8.4% higher than in Abu Dhabi
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 9.53 $
(35.00 AED)
10.89 $
(40.00 AED)
     +14.3 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 66.70 $
(245.00 AED)
80.83 $
(296.90 AED)
     +21.2 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 8.17 $
(30.00 AED)
8.17 $
(30.00 AED)
     0.0 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 10.89 $
(40.00 AED)
13.07 $
(48.00 AED)
     +20.0 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 10.89 $
(40.00 AED)
13.34 $
(49.00 AED)
     +22.5 %
Cappuccino (regular) 5.15 $
(18.92 AED)
5.28 $
(19.38 AED)
     +2.4 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 0.98 $
(3.59 AED)
1.09 $
(4.00 AED)
     +11.6 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 0.34 $
(1.24 AED)
0.56 $
(2.05 AED)
     +64.8 %
Markets
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 6.82 $
(25.06 AED)
7.03 $
(25.83 AED)
     +3.1 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 1.17 $
(4.31 AED)
1.35 $
(4.98 AED)
     +15.4 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 0.80 $
(2.93 AED)
0.92 $
(3.39 AED)
     +15.8 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 2.76 $
(10.12 AED)
3.16 $
(11.60 AED)
     +14.6 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 3.56 $
(13.09 AED)
4.83 $
(17.76 AED)
     +35.7 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 3.43 $
(12.61 AED)
3.97 $
(14.57 AED)
     +15.6 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 4.83 $
(17.74 AED)
4.93 $
(18.10 AED)
     +2.0 %
Apples (1 lb) 0.97 $
(3.57 AED)
1.02 $
(3.75 AED)
     +5.0 %
Banana (1 lb) 0.75 $
(2.76 AED)
0.81 $
(2.97 AED)
     +7.4 %
Oranges (1 lb) 0.78 $
(2.86 AED)
0.83 $
(3.05 AED)
     +6.4 %
Tomato (1 lb) 0.62 $
(2.27 AED)
0.70 $
(2.56 AED)
     +12.7 %
Potato (1 lb) 0.48 $
(1.75 AED)
0.51 $
(1.86 AED)
     +6.2 %
Onion (1 lb) 0.43 $
(1.59 AED)
0.43 $
(1.59 AED)
     -0.4 %
Lettuce (1 head) 1.29 $
(4.73 AED)
1.61 $
(5.90 AED)
     +24.7 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 0.57 $
(2.11 AED)
0.60 $
(2.22 AED)
     +5.1 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 16.34 $
(60.00 AED)
17.70 $
(65.00 AED)
     +8.3 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2.58 $
(9.47 AED)
3.50 $
(12.84 AED)
     +35.6 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 3.27 $
(12.00 AED)
6.60 $
(24.25 AED)
     +102.1 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 5.99 $
(22.00 AED)
5.99 $
(22.00 AED)
     0.0 %
Transportation
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 0.54 $
(2.00 AED)
1.57 $
(5.75 AED)
     +187.5 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 21.78 $
(80.00 AED)
92.57 $
(340.00 AED)
     +325.0 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 3.27 $
(12.00 AED)
3.27 $
(12.00 AED)
     0.0 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 0.88 $
(3.22 AED)
1.31 $
(4.83 AED)
     +50.0 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 8.17 $
(30.00 AED)
8.17 $
(30.00 AED)
     +0.0 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 3.91 $
(14.37 AED)
3.51 $
(12.91 AED)
     -10.1 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 24,367.67 $
(89,500.00 AED)
26,954.18 $
(99,000.00 AED)
     +10.6 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 20,637.64 $
(75,800.00 AED)
20,904.18 $
(76,778.96 AED)
     +1.3 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 175.89 $
(646.03 AED)
196.17 $
(720.51 AED)
     +11.5 %
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) 0.19 $
(0.72 AED)
0.15 $
(0.54 AED)
     -23.9 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 103.52 $
(380.21 AED)
96.38 $
(353.99 AED)
     -6.9 %
Sports And Leisure
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 71.37 $
(262.13 AED)
73.70 $
(270.69 AED)
     +3.3 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 38.40 $
(141.05 AED)
36.11 $
(132.63 AED)
     -6.0 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 12.25 $
(45.00 AED)
12.80 $
(47.00 AED)
     +4.4 %
Childcare
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 610.42 $
(2,242.03 AED)
758.09 $
(2,784.39 AED)
     +24.2 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 9,431.20 $
(34,639.84 AED)
11,129.56 $
(40,877.78 AED)
     +18.0 %
Clothing And Shoes
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 53.40 $
(196.14 AED)
58.04 $
(213.17 AED)
     +8.7 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 46.63 $
(171.27 AED)
51.54 $
(189.31 AED)
     +10.5 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 91.72 $
(336.88 AED)
87.63 $
(321.87 AED)
     -4.5 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 94.78 $
(348.12 AED)
88.58 $
(325.33 AED)
     -6.5 %
Rent Per Month
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 1,572.17 $
(5,774.44 AED)
1,896.82 $
(6,966.81 AED)
     +20.6 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,212.25 $
(4,452.48 AED)
1,096.29 $
(4,026.55 AED)
     -9.6 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 2,854.18 $
(10,483.12 AED)
3,365.80 $
(12,362.23 AED)
     +17.9 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,138.29 $
(7,853.73 AED)
2,045.00 $
(7,511.06 AED)
     -4.4 %
Buy Apartment Price
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 351.14 $
(1,289.69 AED)
328.65 $
(1,207.08 AED)
     -6.4 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 325.86 $
(1,196.87 AED)
206.12 $
(757.04 AED)
     -36.7 %
Salaries And Financing
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 3,520.64 $
(12,930.96 AED)
4,246.76 $
(15,597.94 AED)
     +20.6 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 4.73 3.84      -18.8 %
Last update: March 2023March 2023
Contributors in the past 12 months:268983