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: $2,873 in Dubai versus $1,864 in Sharjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,383 in Dubai versus $2,636 in Sharjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,894 in Dubai versus $3,408 in Sharjah.

Living in Dubai is roughly 54% more expensive than in Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 108% above, Sharjah 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 AED 46.31

$5.87 AED 21.55

114.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.7 AED 304

$37.40 AED 137

121.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 AED 34.05

$8.16 AED 29.97

13.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.66 AED 35.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.28 AED 34.07

Cappuccino

$6.25 AED 22.96

$3.44 AED 12.64

81.69%

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

$1.68 AED 6.18

$0.85 AED 3.11

97.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 AED 3.09

$0.30 AED 1.12

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.80 AED 50.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.42 AED 49.28

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 AED 6.29

$1.55 AED 5.71

10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 AED 5.46

$1.17 AED 4.28

27.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 AED 8.99

$1.96 AED 7.20

25.00%

Eggs

$3.29 AED 12.08

$2.81 AED 10.31

17.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 AED 45.90

$8.64 AED 31.71

44.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 AED 35.36

$7.19 AED 26.42

33.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 AED 48.65

$11.62 AED 42.67

14.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 AED 9.39

$2.15 AED 7.91

19.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 AED 7.41

$1.73 AED 6.34

16.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 AED 6.71

$1.58 AED 5.79

15.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 AED 4.99

$1.32 AED 4.85

3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 AED 4.03

$1.07 AED 3.93

2.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 AED 3.47

$1.22 AED 4.48

-22.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 AED 5.48

$1.57 AED 5.76

-5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.50

$0.57 AED 2.11

19.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.48 AED 56.9

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 AED 8.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 AED 9.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.11 AED 22.42

$6.44 AED 23.63

-5.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 AED 59.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 AED 9.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 AED 11.68

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 AED 5.86

$2.24 AED 8.23

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.8 AED 249

$41.06 AED 151

65.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 AED 12.17

$3.68 AED 13.52

-10.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 AED 2.66

$0.64 AED 2.35

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 AED 29.44

$12.18 AED 44.74

-34.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 AED 3.53

$0.96 AED 3.52

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

$27.7K AED 101.7K

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-40.15%

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

$22.1K AED 81.3K

$21.9K AED 80.6K

0.90%

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

$240 AED 881

$226 AED 830

6.10%

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

$54.2 AED 199

$49.64 AED 182

9.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.3 AED 335

$96.1 AED 353

-5.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 AED 371

$54.3 AED 200

85.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.81 AED 168

$22.26 AED 81.8

105.80%

Cinema Ticket

$16.61 AED 61.0

$13.71 AED 50.3

21.15%

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

$842 AED 3,092

$314 AED 1,154

168.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K AED 66.0K

$8,432 AED 31.0K

113.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 AED 278

$59.2 AED 217

27.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 AED 206

$77.9 AED 286

-28.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 AED 375

$108 AED 398

-5.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 AED 362

$95.4 AED 350

3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 AED 8,770

$810 AED 2,976

194.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 AED 5,521

$911 AED 3,344

65.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,599 AED 16.9K

$1,822 AED 6,690

152.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,909 AED 10.7K

$1,497 AED 5,498

94.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,998 AED 25.7K

$8,027 AED 29.5K

-12.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,045 AED 14.9K

$2,761 AED 10.1K

46.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,551 AED 13.0K

$2,215 AED 8,134

60.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

4.5

0.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dubai: September 8, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,388 in Dubai and $810 in Sharjah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 60% 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 $37.00 in Sharjah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $196 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 Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 60% 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: $2,388 in Dubai versus $810 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 65% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $842 in Dubai versus $314 in Sharjah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,864 in Sharjah versus $2,873 in Dubai, a $3,000 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 54% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.