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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,631 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $1,547 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,559 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $2,247 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,487 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $2,946 in Sharjah, rent included.

Al Fujayrah costs about 5% more than Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al Fujayrah and Sharjah sit above the global median – Al Fujayrah by 22%, Sharjah by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 AED 29.68

$5.35 AED 19.64

51.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 AED 222

$33.06 AED 121

82.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 AED 24.31

$9.53 AED 34.99

-30.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.48 AED 34.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.41 AED 34.56

Cappuccino

$5.46 AED 20.04

$4.30 AED 15.79

26.98%

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

$0.78 AED 2.86

$0.93 AED 3.42

-16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 AED 2.30

$0.37 AED 1.36

70.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.36 AED 45.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.84 AED 50.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 AED 7.25

$1.78 AED 6.54

10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 AED 5.23

$1.18 AED 4.34

20.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 AED 8.15

$2.03 AED 7.47

9.36%

Eggs

$3.38 AED 12.43

$2.79 AED 10.24

21.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 AED 37.40

$10.51 AED 38.61

-3.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 AED 34.64

$6.69 AED 24.59

40.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 AED 46.98

$8.53 AED 31.31

49.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 AED 8.35

$1.82 AED 6.70

24.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 AED 7.21

$1.56 AED 5.75

25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 AED 6.98

$1.47 AED 5.40

29.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 AED 5.70

$1.22 AED 4.47

27.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.33

$1.04 AED 3.80

13.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 AED 4.86

$1.17 AED 4.30

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 AED 5.35

$1.45 AED 5.33

0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 AED 2.37

$0.59 AED 2.17

10.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.46 AED 56.8

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 AED 12.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 AED 23.90

$6.47 AED 23.75

0.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.62 AED 61.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 AED 9.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 AED 12.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 AED 6.05

$1.67 AED 6.14

-1.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 AED 193

$40.17 AED 148

30.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 AED 12.34

$3.60 AED 13.21

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 AED 2.87

$0.66 AED 2.42

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 AED 30.42

$5.03 AED 18.47

64.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 AED 2.93

$0.81 AED 2.99

-1.23%

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

$32.8K AED 120.4K

$45.4K AED 166.8K

-27.81%

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

$22.5K AED 82.5K

$22.3K AED 82.0K

0.56%

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

$211 AED 775

$195 AED 716

8.20%

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

$61.9 AED 227

$65.9 AED 242

-6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 373

$102 AED 374

-0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 AED 203

$64.2 AED 236

-14.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.82 AED 143

$37.64 AED 138

3.13%

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 AED 54.6

$13.00 AED 47.76

14.46%

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

$828 AED 3,043

$273 AED 1,002

203.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K AED 52.5K

$5,985 AED 22.0K

138.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 AED 305

$53.0 AED 195

56.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 AED 235

$97.4 AED 358

-34.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 AED 423

$95.4 AED 350

20.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 AED 451

$82.6 AED 303

48.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 AED 1,988

$755 AED 2,771

-28.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 AED 1,474

$596 AED 2,190

-32.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 AED 4,218

$1,617 AED 5,939

-28.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 AED 3,600

$1,008 AED 3,702

-2.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,253 AED 30.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,745 AED 10.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,801 AED 14.0K

$2,234 AED 8,203

70.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.42

1.58%

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

Last update for Al Fujayrah: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $541 in Al Fujayrah versus $755 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 70% higher in Al Fujayrah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Al Fujayrah versus $33.00 in Sharjah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 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 Fujayrah vs Sharjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Fujayrah costs about 5% more than Sharjah, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,446 per month in Al Fujayrah and $2,321 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.

Kindergarten costs $828 per month in Al Fujayrah and $273 in Sharjah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Al Fujayrah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharjah, where all-in costs run around $1,547, than in Al Fujayrah at $1,631. In Sharjah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Fujayrah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sharjah costs $1,547 versus $1,631 in Al Fujayrah. 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 Fujayrah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.