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: $2,034 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $1,584 in Sharjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,083 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $2,291 in Sharjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,132 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $2,997 in Sharjah.

Living in Dibba Al-Fujairah is roughly 28% more expensive than in Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dibba Al-Fujairah 53% above, Sharjah 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.69 AED 39.25

$5.54 AED 20.34

92.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 AED 305

$32.58 AED 120

154.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 AED 35.78

$9.21 AED 33.84

5.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.55 AED 35.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.45 AED 34.71

Cappuccino

$5.51 AED 20.25

$4.44 AED 16.29

24.10%

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

$1.24 AED 4.55

$0.95 AED 3.50

30.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 AED 3.42

$0.37 AED 1.37

151.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.46 AED 45.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.74 AED 50.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 AED 7.28

$1.77 AED 6.48

11.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 AED 5.19

$1.20 AED 4.41

17.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 AED 8.26

$2.04 AED 7.50

10.29%

Eggs

$3.29 AED 12.08

$2.77 AED 10.16

18.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 AED 36.79

$10.28 AED 37.75

-2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 AED 34.47

$6.82 AED 25.05

37.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 AED 46.80

$8.45 AED 31.03

50.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 AED 8.37

$1.84 AED 6.75

23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 AED 6.87

$1.49 AED 5.46

25.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 AED 7.03

$1.42 AED 5.22

34.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.52

$1.18 AED 4.33

27.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.33

$1.00 AED 3.67

18.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 AED 4.65

$1.18 AED 4.32

7.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 AED 5.16

$1.49 AED 5.48

-5.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 AED 2.52

$0.64 AED 2.33

7.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.34 AED 56.3

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 AED 7.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 AED 12.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 AED 24.60

$6.33 AED 23.24

5.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.38 AED 60.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 AED 10.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 AED 12.52

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.14

$1.66 AED 6.11

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.0 AED 194

$40.20 AED 148

31.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 AED 11.87

$3.60 AED 13.21

-10.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 AED 1.94

$0.66 AED 2.43

-19.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 AED 30.39

$4.77 AED 17.52

73.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 AED 2.66

$0.75 AED 2.77

-2.67%

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

$33.2K AED 122.1K

$44.9K AED 165.0K

-25.99%

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

$23.0K AED 84.5K

$22.5K AED 82.7K

2.19%

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

$214 AED 785

$197 AED 725

8.32%

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

$60.9 AED 224

$64.5 AED 237

-5.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 372

$101 AED 371

0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 AED 236

$62.4 AED 229

3.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.45 AED 145

$38.49 AED 141

2.49%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 AED 56.1

$12.90 AED 47.36

18.45%

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

$826 AED 3,034

$274 AED 1,005

201.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,664 AED 20.8K

$6,120 AED 22.5K

-7.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.0 AED 301

$51.2 AED 188

60.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 AED 232

$98.6 AED 362

-36.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 AED 424

$96.2 AED 353

20.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 439

$82.3 AED 302

45.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 AED 2,729

$752 AED 2,763

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 AED 2,767

$603 AED 2,214

25.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,523 AED 9,267

$1,609 AED 5,908

56.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 AED 5,001

$1,041 AED 3,823

30.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,135 AED 18.9K

$8,029 AED 29.5K

-36.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 AED 8,566

$2,747 AED 10.1K

-15.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,246 AED 8,250

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $743 in Dibba Al-Fujairah and $752 in Sharjah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $83.0 in Dibba Al-Fujairah vs $33.00 in Sharjah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $282 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 28% in total monthly costs ($2,034 vs $1,584 including rent). Sharjah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,051 in Dibba Al-Fujairah and $2,376 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: $743 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $752 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 32% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $826 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $274 in Sharjah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,584 in Sharjah versus $2,034 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 28% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.