Cost of Living Comparison Between Dibba Al-Fujairah and Sharjah Cost of Living Comparison Between Dibba Al-Fujairah and Sharjah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,026 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $1,573 in Sharjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,057 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $2,253 in Sharjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,088 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $2,933 in Sharjah.

Living in Dibba Al-Fujairah is roughly 29% more expensive than Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dibba Al-Fujairah 51% above, Sharjah 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.87 AED 39.94

$5.36 AED 19.70

102.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 AED 294

$32.97 AED 121

143.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 AED 34.10

$9.06 AED 33.29

2.54%

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

$5.46 AED 20.04

$4.21 AED 15.48

29.69%

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

$1.24 AED 4.57

$1.01 AED 3.72

22.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 AED 3.51

$0.35 AED 1.28

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.47 AED 45.79

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.47 AED 49.48

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 AED 7.11

$1.70 AED 6.24

14.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 AED 5.07

$1.19 AED 4.36

15.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 AED 8.27

$2.04 AED 7.50

10.29%

Eggs

$3.29 AED 12.09

$2.73 AED 10.04

20.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 AED 37.52

$10.18 AED 37.38

0.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 AED 34.28

$6.96 AED 25.56

34.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 AED 46.48

$8.46 AED 31.08

49.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 AED 8.34

$1.83 AED 6.73

24.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 AED 6.83

$1.48 AED 5.42

25.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 AED 7.02

$1.49 AED 5.48

28.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 AED 5.63

$1.23 AED 4.51

24.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 AED 4.49

$1.01 AED 3.71

20.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 AED 4.61

$1.21 AED 4.46

3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 AED 5.31

$1.52 AED 5.60

-4.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 AED 2.54

$0.64 AED 2.35

7.81%

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)

$6.56 AED 24.10

$6.29 AED 23.11

4.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.18 AED 59.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 AED 9.55

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 AED 12.40

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.13

$1.60 AED 5.88

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 AED 196

$41.57 AED 153

28.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 AED 12.30

$3.77 AED 13.84

-11.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 AED 1.92

$0.71 AED 2.59

-26.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.31 AED 30.53

$5.04 AED 18.49

64.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 AED 2.88

$0.82 AED 3.01

-3.66%

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

$32.7K AED 120.1K

$45.1K AED 165.5K

-27.41%

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

$23.0K AED 84.5K

$22.1K AED 81.3K

3.88%

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

$213 AED 784

$200 AED 734

6.88%

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

$61.9 AED 227

$65.9 AED 242

-6.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 374

$103 AED 379

-1.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 AED 233

$62.9 AED 231

0.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.14 AED 144

$37.58 AED 138

4.15%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 AED 55.6

$12.73 AED 46.75

18.85%

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

$854 AED 3,137

$275 AED 1,011

210.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,760 AED 21.2K

$6,018 AED 22.1K

-4.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.0 AED 305

$51.4 AED 189

61.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 AED 230

$97.2 AED 357

-35.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 AED 423

$96.0 AED 353

19.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 AED 439

$80.4 AED 295

48.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 AED 2,726

$775 AED 2,845

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 AED 2,823

$603 AED 2,215

27.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,463 AED 9,048

$1,613 AED 5,923

52.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,351 AED 4,962

$1,026 AED 3,768

31.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,430 AED 16.3K

$8,277 AED 30.4K

-46.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,219 AED 8,151

$2,688 AED 9,872

-17.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,281 AED 8,377

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 Dibba Al-Fujairah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $742 in Dibba Al-Fujairah and $775 in Sharjah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80.0 in Dibba Al-Fujairah vs $33.00 in Sharjah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $188 per month, with Sharjah cheaper across the board.

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

Dibba Al-Fujairah vs Sharjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dibba Al-Fujairah and Sharjah differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,026 vs $1,573 including rent). Sharjah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,039 in Dibba Al-Fujairah and $2,360 in Sharjah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $742 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $775 in Sharjah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sharjah runs roughly 29% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $854 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $275 in Sharjah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,573 in Sharjah versus $2,026 in Dibba Al-Fujairah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sharjah but tight or insufficient in Dibba Al-Fujairah. The gap between the two cities makes Sharjah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dibba Al-Fujairah and Sharjah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sharjah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.