Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Sharjah Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Sharjah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,908 in Dubai versus $1,547 in Sharjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,381 in Dubai versus $2,247 in Sharjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,854 in Dubai versus $2,946 in Sharjah.

Living in Dubai is roughly 88% more expensive than Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 117% above, Sharjah 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 AED 40.14

$5.35 AED 19.64

104.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.7 AED 304

$33.06 AED 121

150.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 AED 34.67

$9.53 AED 34.99

-0.94%

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

$5.57 AED 20.46

$4.30 AED 15.79

29.53%

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

$1.25 AED 4.59

$0.93 AED 3.42

34.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 AED 3.43

$0.37 AED 1.36

151.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.04 AED 44.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.77

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 AED 7.36

$1.78 AED 6.54

12.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 AED 5.29

$1.18 AED 4.34

22.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 AED 8.09

$2.03 AED 7.47

8.37%

Eggs

$3.46 AED 12.69

$2.79 AED 10.24

24.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 AED 37.01

$10.51 AED 38.61

-4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 AED 34.86

$6.69 AED 24.59

41.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 AED 45.84

$8.53 AED 31.31

46.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 AED 8.49

$1.82 AED 6.70

26.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 AED 6.95

$1.56 AED 5.75

21.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 AED 6.74

$1.47 AED 5.40

24.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.46

$1.22 AED 4.47

22.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 AED 4.54

$1.04 AED 3.80

19.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 AED 4.78

$1.17 AED 4.30

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 AED 5.30

$1.45 AED 5.33

-0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 AED 2.56

$0.59 AED 2.17

18.64%

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)

$6.44 AED 23.66

$6.47 AED 23.75

-0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.61 AED 61.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 AED 12.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 AED 6.03

$1.67 AED 6.14

-1.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.2 AED 295

$40.17 AED 148

99.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 AED 11.83

$3.60 AED 13.21

-10.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.89

$0.66 AED 2.42

19.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 AED 29.91

$5.03 AED 18.47

61.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 AED 2.83

$0.81 AED 2.99

-4.94%

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

$32.5K AED 119.5K

$45.4K AED 166.8K

-28.37%

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

$22.6K AED 83.0K

$22.3K AED 82.0K

1.26%

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

$219 AED 803

$195 AED 716

12.12%

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

$62.0 AED 228

$65.9 AED 242

-5.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$102 AED 374

-0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 AED 326

$64.2 AED 236

38.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.84 AED 168

$37.64 AED 138

21.79%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 AED 56.1

$13.00 AED 47.76

17.46%

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

$849 AED 3,120

$273 AED 1,002

211.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K AED 51.9K

$5,985 AED 22.0K

136.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 AED 298

$53.0 AED 195

52.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.9 AED 231

$97.4 AED 358

-35.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 AED 416

$95.4 AED 350

18.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 442

$82.6 AED 303

45.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,450 AED 8,998

$755 AED 2,771

224.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 AED 5,837

$596 AED 2,190

166.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,667 AED 17.1K

$1,617 AED 5,939

188.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 AED 10.9K

$1,008 AED 3,702

194.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,138 AED 26.2K

$8,253 AED 30.3K

-13.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,288 AED 15.7K

$2,745 AED 10.1K

56.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,166 AED 15.3K

$2,234 AED 8,203

86.51%

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 Dubai: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,450 in Dubai and $755 in Sharjah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 87% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $83.0 in Dubai vs $33.00 in Sharjah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 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

Dubai vs Sharjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sharjah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Dubai pays 87% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,450 in Dubai versus $755 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 100% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $849 in Dubai versus $273 in Sharjah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,547 in Sharjah versus $2,908 in Dubai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sharjah but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Sharjah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sharjah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dubai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dubai 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 88% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.