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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,818 per month in Mussaffah vs $1,584 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,675 per month in Mussaffah vs $2,291 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,533 per month in Mussaffah vs $2,997 in Sharjah, rent included.

Mussaffah costs about 15% more than Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mussaffah and Sharjah sit above the global median – Mussaffah by 37%, Sharjah by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 AED 25.35

$5.54 AED 20.34

24.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.49 AED 119

$32.58 AED 120

-0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.71 AED 35.67

$9.21 AED 33.84

5.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.55 AED 35.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.45 AED 34.72

Cappuccino

$4.96 AED 18.21

$4.44 AED 16.29

11.71%

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

$1.01 AED 3.71

$0.95 AED 3.50

6.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 AED 1.38

$0.37 AED 1.37

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.73 AED 35.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 AED 35.53

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 AED 6.71

$1.77 AED 6.48

3.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 AED 4.22

$1.20 AED 4.41

-4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 AED 7.47

$2.04 AED 7.50

-0.49%

Eggs

$2.86 AED 10.50

$2.77 AED 10.16

3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 AED 37.49

$10.28 AED 37.75

-0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 AED 25.43

$6.82 AED 25.05

1.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.57 AED 31.48

$8.45 AED 31.03

1.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 AED 6.77

$1.84 AED 6.75

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.65

$1.49 AED 5.46

3.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 AED 5.20

$1.42 AED 5.22

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.31

$1.18 AED 4.33

-0.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 AED 3.83

$1.00 AED 3.67

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.29

$1.18 AED 4.32

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 AED 5.58

$1.49 AED 5.48

2.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 AED 2.15

$0.64 AED 2.33

-7.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.34 AED 56.3

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 AED 7.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 AED 12.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 AED 23.27

$6.33 AED 23.24

0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.48 AED 49.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 AED 7.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 AED 8.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 AED 5.94

$1.66 AED 6.11

-2.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 AED 193

$40.20 AED 148

30.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 AED 11.84

$3.60 AED 13.21

-10.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 AED 2.08

$0.66 AED 2.43

-13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 AED 17.72

$4.77 AED 17.53

1.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 AED 2.78

$0.75 AED 2.77

1.33%

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

$44.9K AED 164.7K

$44.9K AED 165.0K

-0.14%

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

$21.8K AED 80.1K

$22.5K AED 82.7K

-3.13%

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

$142 AED 522

$197 AED 725

-27.98%

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

$64.7 AED 238

$64.5 AED 237

0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 370

$101 AED 371

-0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 AED 237

$62.4 AED 229

3.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.74 AED 142

$38.49 AED 141

0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 AED 47.42

$12.90 AED 47.36

0.08%

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

$639 AED 2,347

$274 AED 1,005

133.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,792 AED 24.9K

$6,120 AED 22.5K

10.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 AED 194

$51.2 AED 188

3.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 AED 210

$98.6 AED 362

-41.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 AED 343

$96.2 AED 353

-3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 AED 302

$82.3 AED 302

-0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 AED 2,774

$752 AED 2,763

0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 AED 2,748

$603 AED 2,214

24.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,534 AED 9,308

$1,609 AED 5,908

57.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 AED 4,942

$1,041 AED 3,823

29.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,975 AED 18.3K

$8,029 AED 29.5K

-38.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,345 AED 8,611

$2,747 AED 10.1K

-14.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,930 AED 10.8K

$2,246 AED 8,251

30.45%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $755 in Mussaffah versus $752 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 $32.00 in Mussaffah versus $33.00 in Sharjah. Groceries tell a different story – $230 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 15%, 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 $2,727 per month in Mussaffah and $2,376 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 $639 per month in Mussaffah and $274 in Sharjah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $1,584, than in Mussaffah at $1,818. 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.