Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Ain and Sharjah Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Ain and Sharjah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,575 per month in Al Ain vs $1,573 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,400 per month in Al Ain vs $2,253 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,226 per month in Al Ain vs $2,933 in Sharjah, rent included.

Al Ain and Sharjah have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Al Ain and Sharjah sit above the global median – Al Ain by 17%, Sharjah by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 AED 24.10

$5.36 AED 19.70

22.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.9 AED 250

$32.97 AED 121

106.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 AED 30.84

$9.06 AED 33.29

-7.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 AED 34.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.64 AED 35.42

Cappuccino

$4.68 AED 17.19

$4.21 AED 15.48

11.16%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 AED 2.75

$1.01 AED 3.72

-25.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 AED 1.38

$0.35 AED 1.28

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 AED 29.24

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.95 AED 40.22

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 AED 6.58

$1.70 AED 6.24

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 AED 5.58

$1.19 AED 4.36

27.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 AED 8.93

$2.04 AED 7.50

19.12%

Eggs

$3.10 AED 11.40

$2.73 AED 10.04

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.69 AED 9.86

$10.18 AED 37.38

-73.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.44 AED 31.01

$6.96 AED 25.56

21.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 AED 24.61

$8.46 AED 31.08

-20.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 AED 9.00

$1.83 AED 6.73

33.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 AED 6.13

$1.48 AED 5.42

12.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 AED 5.13

$1.49 AED 5.48

-6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 AED 2.93

$1.23 AED 4.51

-34.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 AED 2.61

$1.01 AED 3.71

-29.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 AED 1.43

$1.21 AED 4.46

-67.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 AED 6.16

$1.52 AED 5.60

10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 AED 2.32

$0.64 AED 2.35

-1.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.76 AED 57.9

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 AED 7.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 AED 12.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 AED 23.55

$6.29 AED 23.11

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 AED 44.77

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 AED 5.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 AED 8.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 AED 4.12

$1.60 AED 5.88

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.73 AED 90.8

$41.57 AED 153

-40.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 AED 10.18

$3.77 AED 13.84

-26.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 AED 1.93

$0.71 AED 2.59

-25.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 AED 29.74

$5.04 AED 18.49

60.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.75

$0.82 AED 3.01

-8.54%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$45.9K AED 168.4K

$45.1K AED 165.5K

1.78%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.9K AED 80.4K

$22.1K AED 81.3K

-1.09%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$89.3 AED 328

$200 AED 734

-55.29%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$51.9 AED 191

$65.9 AED 242

-21.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.3 AED 361

$103 AED 379

-4.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 AED 197

$62.9 AED 231

-14.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.16 AED 151

$37.58 AED 138

9.53%

Cinema Ticket

$11.40 AED 41.86

$12.73 AED 46.75

-10.45%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$629 AED 2,311

$275 AED 1,011

128.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,856 AED 14.2K

$6,018 AED 22.1K

-35.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.36 AED 78.5

$51.4 AED 189

-58.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 AED 206

$97.2 AED 357

-42.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 AED 296

$96.0 AED 353

-16.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 AED 196

$80.4 AED 295

-33.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 AED 2,512

$775 AED 2,845

-11.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 AED 2,766

$603 AED 2,215

24.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,951 AED 18.2K

$1,613 AED 5,923

207.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 AED 4,569

$1,026 AED 3,768

21.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,345 AED 8,613

$8,277 AED 30.4K

-71.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,172 AED 4,303

$2,688 AED 9,872

-56.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,982 AED 11.0K

$2,281 AED 8,377

30.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.19

4.42

17.42%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Al Ain: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $684 in Al Ain versus $775 in Sharjah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Al Ain. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Al Ain versus $33.00 in Sharjah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $188 – making Sharjah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Al Ain vs Sharjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,363 per month in Al Ain and $2,360 in Sharjah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sharjah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Al Ain, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $629 per month in Al Ain and $275 in Sharjah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharjah, where all-in costs run around $1,573, than in Al Ain at $1,575. In Sharjah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Ain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sharjah costs $1,573 versus $1,575 in Al Ain. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sharjah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Ain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.