Cost Of Living For a Student in Ras Al Khaimah 2025

Average monthly spending for students in Ras Al Khaimah

How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Ras Al Khaimah?

Students in Ras Al Khaimah spend around 6,300 AED per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 970 AED or as high as 42,000 AED. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.

How do students spend their money in Ras Al Khaimah?

We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.

Housing and accomodation expenditure for students

Students in Ras Al Khaimah typically spend from 14% to 25% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 19% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 1,500 AED with expenditure ranging from 230 AED to 10,000 AED. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.

Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students

Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Ras Al Khaimah ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 250 AED with 39 AED and 1,700 AED being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.

Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students

Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 68 AED to 2,900 AED in a month on commuting with 440 AED being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 5% of total spending on average but can go as low as 5% or as high as 11%.

Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students

The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Ras Al Khaimah is 1,300 AED. The cost of groceries can range between 190 AED to 8,400 AED. Students spend on average about 22% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 16% and 26% respectively.

Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students

Students in Ras Al Khaimah allocate 5% to 11% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 8%. The range of medical expenses range from 58 AED to 2,500 AED with 380 AED being the norm for most students.

Leisure and shopping expenditure for students

This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 49 AED to 2,100 AED with 310 AED being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.

Education and schooling expenditure for students

Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 19% of the monthly expenditure of students with 12% and 24% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 1,200 AED per month with 180 AED being the minimum spent amount and 8,000 AED being the maximum.

A typical and healthy budgeting structure

The 50/30/20 rule

Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle, location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule, which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.

• 50% for needs and financial obligations

  This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.

• 30% for wants and discretionary spending

  This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.

• 20% for savings and emergency fund

  This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.

About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting

Affordable living in Ras Al Khaimah

Income and cost of living compatibility

We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.

Is it affordable or economical to live in Ras Al Khaimah?

Around 69% of surveyed students think that living in Ras Al Khaimah is affordable with proper budgeting while 31% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.

Low-cost alternatives in Ras Al Khaimah

People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:

Plenty of low-cost options56%

Few low-cost options44%

Based on the survey, 56% of the students living in Ras Al Khaimah have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 44% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.

Emergency Funds For Students

An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Ras Al Khaimah whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.

Yes68%

No32%

Based on the survey, 32% of the students living in Ras Al Khaimah said that they don't have an emergency fund while 68% said that they do.

Financial Literacy in United Arab Emirates

Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.

Financial Leteracy71%

We asked student guardians and parents in Ras Al Khaimah whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 29% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 71% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.

Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning

We wanted to understand whether students of United Arab Emirates have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 23% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 77% said that they have everything under control.

Struggles with finance23%

Easily manages finances77%

Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Ras Al Khaimah

Rent Cost in Ras Al Khaimah

Monthly Rent Prices

Studio apartment monthly rent cost

1,100 AED

1,700 AED

4,500 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$310

$460

$1,200

1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

1,700 AED

2,700 AED

6,800 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$460

$740

$1,800

2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

2,300 AED

3,400 AED

9,100 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$620

$920

$2,500

3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

2,700 AED

4,500 AED

12,000 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$740

$1,200

$3,400

Furnished apartment monthly rent cost

5,400 AED

14,000 AED

27,000 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,500

$3,700

$7,400

Townhouse monthly rent cost

4,500 AED

6,800 AED

19,000 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,200

$1,800

$5,300

House monthly rent cost

5,400 AED

14,000 AED

27,000 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,500

$3,700

$7,400

Villa monthly rent cost

6,800 AED

17,000 AED

27,000 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,800

$4,600

$7,400

The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Ras Al Khaimah ranges between 1,100 AED and 4,500 AED, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 1,700 AED to 6,800 AED. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 2,300 AED and 9,100 AED per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 2,700 AED to 12,000 AED. The average rent of a townhouse in Ras Al Khaimah is around 6,800 AED while house rental costs can be as high as 14,000 AED per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 6,800 AED to 27,000 AED per month.

Apartment and house prices in Ras Al Khaimah

Cost of buying a property

Studio apartment price

230,000 AED

340,000 AED

680,000 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$62,000

$92,000

$180,000

1-bedroom apartment price

270,000 AED

450,000 AED

1.7M AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$74,000

$120,000

$460,000

2-bedroom apartment price

450,000 AED

1.4M AED

2.7M AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$120,000

$370,000

$740,000

3-bedroom apartment price

1.5M AED

2.3M AED

6.8M AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$410,000

$620,000

$1.8M

Townhouse price

1.9M AED

4.5M AED

17M AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$530,000

$1.2M

$4.6M

House price

2.3M AED

14M AED

19M AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$620,000

$3.7M

$5.3M

Villa price

2.7M AED

15M AED

23M AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$740,000

$4.1M

$6.2M

The average price of a studio apartment in Ras Al Khaimah can range from 230,000 AED to 680,000 AED depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 270,000 AED to 1.7M AED. A villa can cost you 15M AED on average with prices ranging from 2.7M AED to 23M AED.

House / apartment prices to income ratio

Property prices in Ras Al Khaimah can be x105 to x190 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x105 multiples of the average monthly salary in Ras Al Khaimah.

Rent to income ratio

The average rent-to-income ratio in Ras Al Khaimah is around 29%. This means that people pay 29% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 20% to 38% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.

Housing affordability index

The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.

Property Taxes

Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.

Home Maintenance Costs

Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.

Urban vs. rural living costs

Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.

Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Ras Al Khaimah

Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Ras Al Khaimah

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student

39 AED

250 AED

1,700 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$11

$68

$460

Internet and cable cost

72 AED

140 AED

190 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$20

$39

$52

Mobile phone bill and charges

57 AED

96 AED

290 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$16

$26

$78

The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 250 AED. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 72 AED to 190 AED with 140 AED being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 96 AED but can range between 57 AED and 290 AED depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.

Energy / Utility expense to income ratio

The average utility-to-income ratio in Ras Al Khaimah is around 4.5%. This means that people pay 4.5% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 1.8% to 8.1% depending on salary and location.

Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Ras Al Khaimah

Prices and cost of goods and services in Ras Al Khaimah

Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.

Fast food combo meal price

14 AED

29 AED

48 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$3.9

$7.8

$13

The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Ras Al Khaimah is approximatly 29 AED with meal cost ranging from 14 AED to 48 AED. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.

Restaurant meal for one price

47 AED

70 AED

140 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$13

$19

$38

If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 47 AED and 140 AED with 70 AED being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Ras Al Khaimah.

Fine dining meal for one price

93 AED

140 AED

560 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$25

$38

$150

The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 93 AED to 560 AED with the average cost being 140 AED for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Ras Al Khaimah.

Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..

12 AED

19 AED

29 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$3.3

$5.2

$7.8

The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Ras Al Khaimah is around 19 AED. Price ranges between 12 AED and 29 AED depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.

Grocery and market costs

Large bottle of milk price

9.6 AED

11 AED

14 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2.6

$3.1

$3.9

The average price of a large bottle of milk in Ras Al Khaimah is 11 AED. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 14 AED and the minimum being 9.6 AED depending on the brand of milk and other properties.

12 eggs price

7.2 AED

9.6 AED

14 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2

$2.6

$3.9

A dozen eggs costs around 9.6 AED on average with 7.2 AED and 14 AED being the lower and upper limits respectively.

Fresh whole chicken price

16 AED

21 AED

30 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$4.4

$5.7

$8.1

The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Ras Al Khaimah is between 16 AED and 30 AED depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 21 AED.

Pack of beef price

19 AED

29 AED

57 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$5.2

$7.8

$16

The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 29 AED. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.

Medium bag of rice price

7.7 AED

11 AED

15 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2.1

$2.9

$4.1

A bag of rice in Ras Al Khaimah costs around 11 AED on average with prices rangeing between 7.7 AED and 15 AED depending on the brand and quality.

Bag of tomatos price

2.9 AED

3.8 AED

7.2 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.78

$1

$2

A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 2.9 AED to 7.2 AED. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Bag of apples price

5.1 AED

6.7 AED

11 AED

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.4

$1.8

$3

A bag of apples costs 6.7 AED on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio

The average grocery-to-income ratio in Ras Al Khaimah is around 24%. This means that students spend 24% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 16% to 29% depending on salary and location.

Expenditure on food and grocery for students