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 $3,157 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $1,869 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,751 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $2,654 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,345 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $3,439 in Sharjah, rent included.

Al Fujayrah costs about 69% more than Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al Fujayrah and Sharjah sit above the global median – Al Fujayrah by 130%, Sharjah by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 AED 29.21

$6.09 AED 22.37

30.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 AED 220

$37.47 AED 138

60.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.36 AED 34.39

$8.23 AED 30.21

13.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.44 AED 34.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.62 AED 35.32

Cappuccino

$5.96 AED 21.89

$3.58 AED 13.15

66.48%

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

$1.44 AED 5.30

$0.82 AED 3.00

75.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 AED 2.20

$0.30 AED 1.12

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.36 AED 49.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.85 AED 50.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 AED 6.32

$1.62 AED 5.94

6.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 AED 4.24

$1.15 AED 4.23

0.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 AED 8.74

$1.94 AED 7.14

22.68%

Eggs

$3.33 AED 12.22

$2.86 AED 10.49

16.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.30 AED 19.47

$8.87 AED 32.59

-40.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 AED 19.83

$7.18 AED 26.38

-24.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 AED 29.33

$11.59 AED 42.57

-31.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 AED 6.55

$2.16 AED 7.95

-17.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 AED 4.88

$1.67 AED 6.14

-20.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 AED 4.57

$1.53 AED 5.62

-18.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 AED 5.26

$1.38 AED 5.06

3.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 AED 3.63

$1.12 AED 4.11

-11.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 AED 3.69

$1.17 AED 4.28

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 AED 4.05

$1.50 AED 5.52

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 AED 2.27

$0.58 AED 2.14

6.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.64 AED 57.4

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AED 9.24

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 AED 9.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 AED 21.67

$6.54 AED 24.03

-9.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.24 AED 59.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 AED 9.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 AED 11.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 AED 10.78

$2.24 AED 8.24

31.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.16 AED 59.3

$40.71 AED 150

-60.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 AED 10.16

$3.65 AED 13.41

-24.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 AED 0.95

$0.59 AED 2.16

-55.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 AED 9.70

$11.84 AED 43.47

-77.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 AED 2.83

$0.95 AED 3.47

-18.95%

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

$27.6K AED 101.5K

$44.8K AED 164.4K

-38.28%

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

$21.9K AED 80.4K

$21.9K AED 80.5K

-0.05%

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

$237 AED 869

$223 AED 820

5.99%

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

$45.15 AED 166

$49.62 AED 182

-9.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.6 AED 351

$95.9 AED 352

-0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.8 AED 352

$54.9 AED 202

74.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.92 AED 110

$22.30 AED 81.9

34.17%

Cinema Ticket

$10.14 AED 37.24

$13.38 AED 49.12

-24.22%

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

$275 AED 1,008

$317 AED 1,164

-13.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,452 AED 16.3K

$8,665 AED 31.8K

-48.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.60 AED 109

$59.4 AED 218

-50.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 AED 197

$78.4 AED 288

-31.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 AED 382

$110 AED 404

-5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 AED 295

$96.3 AED 354

-16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,358 AED 8,661

$820 AED 3,011

187.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,125 AED 7,804

$886 AED 3,254

139.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,090 AED 18.7K

$1,802 AED 6,618

182.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,070 AED 14.9K

$1,510 AED 5,546

169.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,097 AED 29.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 AED 10.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,818 AED 14.0K

$2,193 AED 8,053

74.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-55.56%

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

Last update for Al Fujayrah: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,358 in Al Fujayrah versus $820 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 74% 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 $37.00 in Sharjah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $197 – 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 69% 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 $4,735 per month in Al Fujayrah and $2,804 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 $275 per month in Al Fujayrah and $317 in Sharjah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharjah, where all-in costs run around $1,869, than in Al Fujayrah at $3,157. 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 $1,869 versus $3,157 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.