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: $2,832 in Dubai versus $1,591 in Sharjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,340 in Dubai versus $2,266 in Sharjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,848 in Dubai versus $2,940 in Sharjah.

Living in Dubai is roughly 78% more expensive than in Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 112% above, Sharjah 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 AED 39.53

$5.33 AED 19.59

101.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 AED 295

$32.93 AED 121

144.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 AED 35.87

$9.28 AED 34.07

5.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.68 AED 35.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.63 AED 35.38

Cappuccino

$5.76 AED 21.15

$4.29 AED 15.74

34.27%

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

$1.19 AED 4.37

$0.96 AED 3.54

23.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 AED 3.31

$0.35 AED 1.28

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.10 AED 44.45

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.64 AED 50.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 AED 7.20

$1.70 AED 6.26

15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 AED 5.25

$1.19 AED 4.36

20.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 AED 8.00

$2.06 AED 7.55

5.83%

Eggs

$3.41 AED 12.54

$2.73 AED 10.01

24.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 AED 37.01

$10.48 AED 38.48

-3.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 AED 33.82

$6.83 AED 25.08

34.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 AED 46.59

$8.58 AED 31.53

47.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 AED 8.66

$1.85 AED 6.81

27.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 AED 7.15

$1.55 AED 5.69

25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 AED 6.86

$1.41 AED 5.17

32.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.67

$1.17 AED 4.29

31.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 AED 4.35

$1.00 AED 3.68

19.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.17 AED 4.31

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 AED 5.14

$1.46 AED 5.38

-4.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 AED 2.41

$0.65 AED 2.37

1.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.77 AED 57.9

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 AED 12.28

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 AED 24.64

$6.57 AED 24.14

2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 AED 61.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 AED 13.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 AED 6.06

$1.61 AED 5.90

2.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 AED 306

$41.24 AED 151

101.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 AED 11.76

$3.73 AED 13.71

-14.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 AED 2.97

$0.65 AED 2.37

24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 AED 29.62

$5.02 AED 18.42

60.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.75

$0.82 AED 3.00

-8.54%

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

$32.6K AED 119.9K

$44.5K AED 163.3K

-26.61%

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

$22.9K AED 84.0K

$22.0K AED 81.0K

3.73%

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

$215 AED 789

$201 AED 737

7.05%

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

$61.8 AED 227

$64.9 AED 238

-4.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 375

$104 AED 382

-1.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 AED 319

$62.4 AED 229

39.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.46 AED 171

$37.36 AED 137

24.36%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 AED 55.9

$12.91 AED 47.41

17.97%

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

$851 AED 3,126

$276 AED 1,014

208.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K AED 51.5K

$5,972 AED 21.9K

134.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 AED 302

$51.8 AED 190

59.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 AED 228

$96.5 AED 354

-35.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 AED 418

$95.8 AED 352

18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 439

$80.0 AED 294

49.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 AED 9,051

$769 AED 2,825

220.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 AED 5,751

$594 AED 2,180

163.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,655 AED 17.1K

$1,592 AED 5,847

192.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,950 AED 10.8K

$1,041 AED 3,822

183.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,113 AED 26.1K

$8,094 AED 29.7K

-12.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 AED 15.1K

$2,749 AED 10.1K

49.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,390 AED 12.5K

$2,206 AED 8,104

53.64%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,465 in Dubai and $769 in Sharjah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 54% 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: $80.0 in Dubai 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

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 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 54% higher in Dubai, 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: $2,465 in Dubai 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 102% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $851 in Dubai versus $276 in Sharjah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,591 in Sharjah versus $2,832 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 78% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.