Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Sharjah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Sharjah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,745 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,869 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,761 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,654 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,777 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,439 in Sharjah, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah is about 7% cheaper than Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ras al-Khaimah and Sharjah sit above the global median – Ras al-Khaimah by 27%, Sharjah by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.04 AED 44.22

$6.09 AED 22.37

97.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 AED 167

$37.47 AED 138

21.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 AED 27.45

$8.23 AED 30.21

-9.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.44 AED 34.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.62 AED 35.33

Cappuccino

$5.51 AED 20.24

$3.58 AED 13.15

53.91%

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

$1.11 AED 4.07

$0.82 AED 3.00

35.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.60

$0.30 AED 1.12

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.06 AED 36.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 AED 35.93

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 AED 6.29

$1.62 AED 5.94

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 AED 7.56

$1.15 AED 4.23

79.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 AED 6.91

$1.94 AED 7.14

-3.09%

Eggs

$2.42 AED 8.88

$2.86 AED 10.49

-15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 AED 45.90

$8.87 AED 32.59

40.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 AED 35.56

$7.18 AED 26.38

34.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 AED 57.9

$11.59 AED 42.57

35.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 AED 7.30

$2.16 AED 7.95

-7.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 AED 5.85

$1.67 AED 6.14

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.51

$1.53 AED 5.62

-1.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 AED 4.93

$1.38 AED 5.06

-2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.56

$1.12 AED 4.11

-13.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 AED 3.38

$1.17 AED 4.28

-21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 AED 6.44

$1.50 AED 5.52

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 AED 1.75

$0.58 AED 2.14

-17.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.64 AED 57.4

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AED 9.24

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 AED 9.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 AED 24.87

$6.54 AED 24.03

3.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 AED 50.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AED 9.25

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 AED 10.49

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 AED 7.82

$2.24 AED 8.24

-4.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 AED 411

$40.71 AED 150

175.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 AED 6.30

$3.65 AED 13.41

-52.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.89

$0.59 AED 2.16

33.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 AED 29.23

$11.84 AED 43.47

-32.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 AED 3.26

$0.95 AED 3.47

-6.32%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$44.8K AED 164.4K

3.32%

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

$21.8K AED 80.2K

$21.9K AED 80.5K

-0.38%

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

$124 AED 456

$223 AED 820

-44.33%

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

$45.14 AED 166

$49.62 AED 182

-9.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 AED 292

$95.9 AED 352

-17.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 AED 211

$54.9 AED 202

4.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.71 AED 150

$22.30 AED 81.9

82.56%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 AED 48.00

$13.38 AED 49.12

-2.32%

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

$296 AED 1,086

$317 AED 1,164

-6.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 AED 16.2K

$8,665 AED 31.8K

-49.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 AED 303

$59.4 AED 218

38.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 AED 192

$78.4 AED 288

-33.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 AED 466

$110 AED 404

15.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 AED 422

$96.3 AED 354

19.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 AED 2,768

$820 AED 3,011

-8.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 AED 2,135

$886 AED 3,254

-34.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 AED 6,029

$1,802 AED 6,618

-8.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 AED 4,655

$1,510 AED 5,546

-16.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,911 AED 18.0K

$8,097 AED 29.7K

-39.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 AED 7,157

$2,768 AED 10.2K

-29.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 AED 5,818

$2,193 AED 8,053

-27.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.92

4.5

9.33%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $820 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 38% higher in Sharjah, 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 $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $37.00 in Sharjah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $197 – making Sharjah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ras al-Khaimah vs Sharjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sharjah is pricier by about 7%, 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 $2,617 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,804 in Sharjah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 44% cheaper in Sharjah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah and $37.00 in Sharjah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ras al-Khaimah, where all-in costs run around $1,745, than in Sharjah at $1,869. In Ras al-Khaimah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sharjah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ras al-Khaimah – 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 Ras al-Khaimah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sharjah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.