Cost of Living Comparison Between Mussaffah and Sharjah Cost of Living Comparison Between Mussaffah and Sharjah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,770 per month in Mussaffah vs $1,573 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,634 per month in Mussaffah vs $2,253 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,498 per month in Mussaffah vs $2,933 in Sharjah, rent included.

Mussaffah costs about 12% more than Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mussaffah and Sharjah sit above the global median – Mussaffah by 32%, Sharjah by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 AED 25.44

$5.36 AED 19.70

29.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.11 AED 122

$32.97 AED 121

0.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 AED 34.94

$9.06 AED 33.29

4.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 AED 34.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.64 AED 35.42

Cappuccino

$4.91 AED 18.04

$4.21 AED 15.48

16.63%

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

$1.01 AED 3.72

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 AED 1.27

$0.35 AED 1.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.57 AED 35.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.42 AED 34.61

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 AED 6.83

$1.70 AED 6.24

9.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 AED 4.38

$1.19 AED 4.36

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 AED 7.34

$2.04 AED 7.50

-1.96%

Eggs

$2.85 AED 10.48

$2.73 AED 10.04

4.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 AED 37.62

$10.18 AED 37.38

0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 AED 24.83

$6.96 AED 25.56

-2.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 AED 32.45

$8.46 AED 31.08

4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 AED 6.74

$1.83 AED 6.73

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.64

$1.48 AED 5.42

4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 AED 5.41

$1.49 AED 5.48

-1.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.28

$1.23 AED 4.51

-4.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.69

$1.01 AED 3.71

-0.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 AED 4.36

$1.21 AED 4.46

-1.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 AED 5.58

$1.52 AED 5.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 AED 2.30

$0.64 AED 2.35

-1.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.76 AED 57.9

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 AED 7.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 AED 12.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 AED 22.94

$6.29 AED 23.11

-0.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.44 AED 49.36

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 AED 8.23

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 AED 5.92

$1.60 AED 5.88

0.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.0 AED 195

$41.57 AED 153

27.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 AED 11.97

$3.77 AED 13.84

-13.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 AED 1.94

$0.71 AED 2.59

-25.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.01 AED 18.42

$5.04 AED 18.49

-0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.77

$0.82 AED 3.01

-8.54%

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

$44.7K AED 164.1K

$45.1K AED 165.5K

-0.84%

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

$22.4K AED 82.1K

$22.1K AED 81.3K

0.93%

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

$143 AED 524

$200 AED 734

-28.54%

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

$65.0 AED 239

$65.9 AED 242

-1.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 AED 378

$103 AED 379

-0.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 AED 241

$62.9 AED 231

4.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.84 AED 143

$37.58 AED 138

3.35%

Cinema Ticket

$12.71 AED 46.68

$12.73 AED 46.75

-0.16%

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

$631 AED 2,316

$275 AED 1,011

129.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,759 AED 24.8K

$6,018 AED 22.1K

12.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 AED 193

$51.4 AED 189

2.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 AED 208

$97.2 AED 357

-41.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 AED 334

$96.0 AED 353

-5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 AED 299

$80.4 AED 295

1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 AED 2,704

$775 AED 2,845

-4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 AED 2,828

$603 AED 2,215

27.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,466 AED 9,056

$1,613 AED 5,923

52.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 AED 5,095

$1,026 AED 3,768

35.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,899 AED 18.0K

$8,277 AED 30.4K

-40.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,304 AED 8,464

$2,688 AED 9,872

-14.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,971 AED 10.9K

$2,281 AED 8,377

30.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

4.42

7.47%

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

Last update for Mussaffah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Mussaffah versus $775 in Sharjah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Mussaffah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Mussaffah versus $33.00 in Sharjah. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Mussaffah vs $188 in Sharjah – so Sharjah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mussaffah vs Sharjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mussaffah is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,654 per month in Mussaffah and $2,360 in Sharjah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sharjah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $631 per month in Mussaffah and $275 in Sharjah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Mussaffah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharjah, where all-in costs run around $1,573, than in Mussaffah at $1,770. In Sharjah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mussaffah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sharjah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sharjah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mussaffah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.