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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,791 per month in Mussaffah vs $1,549 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Mussaffah vs $2,243 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,452 per month in Mussaffah vs $2,938 in Sharjah, rent included.

Mussaffah costs about 16% more than Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mussaffah and Sharjah sit above the global median – Mussaffah by 34%, Sharjah by 16%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.91 AED 25.37

$5.55 AED 20.36

24.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.15 AED 122

$33.18 AED 122

-0.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 AED 35.53

$9.36 AED 34.36

3.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.47 AED 34.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.33 AED 34.23

Cappuccino

$4.93 AED 18.10

$4.25 AED 15.60

16.00%

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

$1.03 AED 3.77

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 AED 1.38

$0.35 AED 1.28

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.42 AED 34.55

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.40 AED 34.51

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 AED 6.50

$1.78 AED 6.53

-0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 AED 4.38

$1.15 AED 4.21

3.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 AED 7.20

$2.03 AED 7.46

-3.45%

Eggs

$2.87 AED 10.53

$2.73 AED 10.02

5.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 AED 38.49

$10.39 AED 38.13

0.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 AED 25.16

$7.05 AED 25.89

-2.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.76 AED 32.13

$8.87 AED 32.56

-1.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 AED 6.96

$1.84 AED 6.76

3.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 AED 5.42

$1.49 AED 5.47

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.45

$1.49 AED 5.47

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.35

$1.23 AED 4.52

-4.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.66

$0.99 AED 3.64

1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 AED 4.50

$1.18 AED 4.32

4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 AED 5.27

$1.45 AED 5.33

-0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 AED 2.19

$0.64 AED 2.36

-6.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.73 AED 57.7

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 AED 12.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 AED 22.40

$6.27 AED 23.01

-2.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 AED 49.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 AED 6.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 AED 7.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 AED 5.84

$1.65 AED 6.07

-3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.5 AED 193

$40.17 AED 147

30.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 AED 12.05

$3.72 AED 13.64

-11.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 AED 2.04

$0.70 AED 2.56

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 AED 17.76

$4.91 AED 18.03

-1.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 AED 2.97

$0.76 AED 2.78

6.58%

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

$45.0K AED 165.1K

$45.4K AED 166.6K

-0.90%

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

$22.5K AED 82.7K

$22.2K AED 81.5K

1.40%

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

$144 AED 528

$194 AED 711

-25.76%

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

$66.5 AED 244

$66.6 AED 244

-0.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 AED 378

$103 AED 379

-0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 AED 237

$63.7 AED 234

1.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.20 AED 148

$38.43 AED 141

4.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.68 AED 46.54

$12.98 AED 47.64

-2.31%

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

$627 AED 2,301

$272 AED 998

130.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,873 AED 25.2K

$6,086 AED 22.3K

12.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 AED 192

$53.0 AED 195

-1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 AED 207

$97.0 AED 356

-41.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 AED 332

$97.0 AED 356

-6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 AED 299

$81.4 AED 299

0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 AED 2,704

$769 AED 2,823

-4.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 AED 2,822

$602 AED 2,208

27.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 AED 9,404

$1,635 AED 5,999

56.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 AED 4,938

$1,023 AED 3,756

31.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,756 AED 17.5K

$8,263 AED 30.3K

-42.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,319 AED 8,510

$2,682 AED 9,841

-13.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,916 AED 10.7K

$2,283 AED 8,378

27.75%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Mussaffah versus $769 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 28% 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 – $230 in Mussaffah vs $190 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 16%, 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 $2,686 per month in Mussaffah and $2,324 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 $627 per month in Mussaffah and $272 in Sharjah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $1,549, than in Mussaffah at $1,791. 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.