Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Dubai 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Cost of Living in Dubai is 10.0% higher than in Abu Dhabi (without rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in Dubai is 21.1% higher than in Abu Dhabi
Rent Prices in Dubai are 40.9% higher than in Abu Dhabi
Restaurant Prices in Dubai are 4.9% higher than in Abu Dhabi
Groceries Prices in Dubai are 5.4% higher than in Abu Dhabi
Local Purchasing Power in Dubai is 14.8% lower than in Abu Dhabi
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 10.62 $
(39.00 AED)
10.89 $
(40.00 AED)
     +2.6 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 68.06 $
(250.00 AED)
70.79 $
(260.00 AED)
     +4.0 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 9.53 $
(35.00 AED)
9.53 $
(35.00 AED)
     0.0 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 10.89 $
(40.00 AED)
12.25 $
(45.00 AED)
     +12.5 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 10.89 $
(40.00 AED)
13.61 $
(50.00 AED)
     +25.0 %
Cappuccino (regular) 5.77 $
(21.21 AED)
5.61 $
(20.62 AED)
     -2.7 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 1.24 $
(4.54 AED)
1.21 $
(4.45 AED)
     -2.0 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 0.43 $
(1.58 AED)
1.24 $
(4.55 AED)
     +187.8 %
Markets
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 7.12 $
(26.15 AED)
7.14 $
(26.22 AED)
     +0.3 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 1.30 $
(4.76 AED)
1.31 $
(4.82 AED)
     +1.4 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 1.08 $
(3.97 AED)
1.12 $
(4.13 AED)
     +3.9 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 3.13 $
(11.50 AED)
3.16 $
(11.59 AED)
     +0.8 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 4.63 $
(17.01 AED)
4.28 $
(15.71 AED)
     -7.6 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 3.58 $
(13.14 AED)
4.23 $
(15.53 AED)
     +18.2 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 5.45 $
(20.00 AED)
5.58 $
(20.49 AED)
     +2.4 %
Apples (1 lb) 1.04 $
(3.81 AED)
1.12 $
(4.11 AED)
     +8.0 %
Banana (1 lb) 0.80 $
(2.94 AED)
0.84 $
(3.10 AED)
     +5.4 %
Oranges (1 lb) 0.81 $
(2.98 AED)
0.92 $
(3.38 AED)
     +13.2 %
Tomato (1 lb) 0.69 $
(2.52 AED)
0.74 $
(2.73 AED)
     +8.1 %
Potato (1 lb) 0.51 $
(1.88 AED)
0.55 $
(2.01 AED)
     +7.4 %
Onion (1 lb) 0.64 $
(2.36 AED)
0.65 $
(2.38 AED)
     +0.6 %
Lettuce (1 head) 1.80 $
(6.62 AED)
1.43 $
(5.24 AED)
     -20.8 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 0.62 $
(2.29 AED)
0.64 $
(2.36 AED)
     +3.2 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 13.61 $
(50.00 AED)
16.34 $
(60.00 AED)
     +20.0 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2.24 $
(8.21 AED)
2.54 $
(9.35 AED)
     +13.9 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 2.12 $
(7.79 AED)
3.50 $
(12.87 AED)
     +65.3 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 6.26 $
(23.00 AED)
6.53 $
(24.00 AED)
     +4.3 %
Transportation
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 0.68 $
(2.50 AED)
1.63 $
(6.00 AED)
     +140.0 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 25.18 $
(92.50 AED)
81.68 $
(300.00 AED)
     +224.3 %
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) 2.99 $
(10.99 AED)
2.98 $
(10.95 AED)
     -0.4 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 45,420.01 $
(166,827.00 AED)
32,670.97 $
(120,000.00 AED)
     -28.1 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 22,100.88 $
(81,176.19 AED)
22,563.43 $
(82,875.16 AED)
     +2.1 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 144.97 $
(532.48 AED)
221.20 $
(812.45 AED)
     +52.6 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 53.14 $
(195.19 AED)
59.61 $
(218.94 AED)
     +12.2 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 103.80 $
(381.25 AED)
100.29 $
(368.36 AED)
     -3.4 %
Sports And Leisure
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 65.27 $
(239.73 AED)
82.84 $
(304.27 AED)
     +26.9 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 34.37 $
(126.25 AED)
43.53 $
(159.89 AED)
     +26.6 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 13.61 $
(50.00 AED)
14.16 $
(52.00 AED)
     +4.0 %
Childcare
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 606.61 $
(2,228.07 AED)
898.30 $
(3,299.43 AED)
     +48.1 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 12,338.24 $
(45,318.18 AED)
13,155.44 $
(48,319.74 AED)
     +6.6 %
Clothing And Shoes
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 58.10 $
(213.41 AED)
74.98 $
(275.38 AED)
     +29.0 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 53.49 $
(196.47 AED)
62.07 $
(227.98 AED)
     +16.0 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 94.47 $
(347.00 AED)
104.43 $
(383.58 AED)
     +10.5 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 96.05 $
(352.80 AED)
113.24 $
(415.92 AED)
     +17.9 %
Rent Per Month
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 1,379.30 $
(5,066.15 AED)
2,266.51 $
(8,324.86 AED)
     +64.3 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,019.56 $
(3,744.83 AED)
1,455.75 $
(5,346.93 AED)
     +42.8 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 2,999.19 $
(11,015.97 AED)
4,319.38 $
(15,865.02 AED)
     +44.0 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,239.71 $
(8,226.42 AED)
2,719.53 $
(9,988.78 AED)
     +21.4 %
Buy Apartment Price
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 539.10 $
(1,980.10 AED)
612.48 $
(2,249.64 AED)
     +13.6 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 446.70 $
(1,640.72 AED)
324.58 $
(1,192.19 AED)
     -27.3 %
Salaries And Financing
Abu Dhabi Edit Dubai Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 3,812.52 $
(14,003.33 AED)
3,932.18 $
(14,442.83 AED)
     +3.1 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 5.29 4.41      -16.7 %
Last update: February 2025February 2025
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