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: $2,066 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $1,549 in Sharjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,118 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $2,243 in Sharjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,170 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $2,938 in Sharjah.

Living in Dibba Al-Fujairah is roughly 33% more expensive than Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dibba Al-Fujairah 54% above, Sharjah 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 AED 39.64

$5.55 AED 20.36

94.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 AED 295

$33.18 AED 122

142.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 AED 33.97

$9.36 AED 34.36

-1.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.47 AED 34.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.33 AED 34.23

Cappuccino

$5.48 AED 20.13

$4.25 AED 15.60

28.94%

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

$1.24 AED 4.54

$1.03 AED 3.77

20.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 AED 3.30

$0.35 AED 1.28

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.04 AED 44.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.75 AED 50.5

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 AED 7.35

$1.78 AED 6.53

12.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 AED 5.03

$1.15 AED 4.21

19.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 AED 8.23

$2.03 AED 7.46

10.34%

Eggs

$3.33 AED 12.21

$2.73 AED 10.02

21.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 AED 37.43

$10.39 AED 38.13

-1.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 AED 33.69

$7.05 AED 25.89

30.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.46 AED 45.72

$8.87 AED 32.56

40.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 AED 8.41

$1.84 AED 6.76

24.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 AED 7.21

$1.49 AED 5.47

32.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 AED 7.08

$1.49 AED 5.47

29.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 AED 5.74

$1.23 AED 4.52

26.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 AED 4.57

$0.99 AED 3.64

26.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.63

$1.18 AED 4.32

6.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 AED 5.09

$1.45 AED 5.33

-4.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.50

$0.64 AED 2.36

6.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.73 AED 57.7

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 AED 12.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 AED 24.26

$6.27 AED 23.01

5.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 AED 70.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 AED 13.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 AED 5.95

$1.65 AED 6.07

-1.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 AED 189

$40.17 AED 147

28.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 AED 11.96

$3.72 AED 13.64

-12.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 AED 2.04

$0.70 AED 2.56

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 AED 29.55

$4.91 AED 18.03

63.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 AED 2.70

$0.76 AED 2.78

-2.63%

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

$32.6K AED 119.6K

$45.4K AED 166.6K

-28.22%

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

$22.9K AED 84.1K

$22.2K AED 81.5K

3.20%

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

$215 AED 787

$194 AED 711

10.72%

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

$62.5 AED 229

$66.6 AED 244

-6.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 375

$103 AED 379

-0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 AED 235

$63.7 AED 234

0.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.99 AED 147

$38.43 AED 141

4.06%

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 AED 54.3

$12.98 AED 47.64

13.87%

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

$844 AED 3,097

$272 AED 998

210.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,669 AED 20.8K

$6,086 AED 22.3K

-6.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 AED 302

$53.0 AED 195

55.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 AED 231

$97.0 AED 356

-34.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 AED 411

$97.0 AED 356

15.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 AED 447

$81.4 AED 299

49.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 AED 2,771

$769 AED 2,823

-1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 AED 2,741

$602 AED 2,208

24.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,556 AED 9,380

$1,635 AED 5,999

56.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 AED 4,965

$1,023 AED 3,756

32.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,985 AED 18.3K

$8,263 AED 30.3K

-39.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,058 AED 7,551

$2,682 AED 9,841

-23.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,283 AED 8,378

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $755 in Dibba Al-Fujairah and $769 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 $288 vs $190 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 33% in total monthly costs ($2,066 vs $1,549 including rent). Sharjah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,099 in Dibba Al-Fujairah and $2,324 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: $755 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $769 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 28% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $844 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $272 in Sharjah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,549 in Sharjah versus $2,066 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 33% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.