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 $1,948 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,547 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,021 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,247 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,093 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,946 in Sharjah, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 26% more than Sharjah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ras al-Khaimah and Sharjah sit above the global median – Ras al-Khaimah by 45%, Sharjah by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 AED 49.77

$5.35 AED 19.64

153.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.69 AED 183

$33.06 AED 121

50.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 AED 24.26

$9.53 AED 34.99

-30.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.48 AED 34.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.41 AED 34.56

Cappuccino

$5.63 AED 20.67

$4.30 AED 15.79

30.93%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$0.93 AED 3.42

41.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.49

$0.37 AED 1.36

83.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 AED 40.37

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.23 AED 37.59

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 AED 6.00

$1.78 AED 6.54

-8.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 AED 5.39

$1.18 AED 4.34

24.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 AED 6.31

$2.03 AED 7.47

-15.27%

Eggs

$2.31 AED 8.49

$2.79 AED 10.24

-17.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 AED 47.33

$10.51 AED 38.61

22.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 AED 28.02

$6.69 AED 24.59

14.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 AED 55.2

$8.53 AED 31.31

76.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 AED 8.13

$1.82 AED 6.70

21.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 AED 6.61

$1.56 AED 5.75

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.50

$1.47 AED 5.40

2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.22 AED 4.47

3.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 AED 3.53

$1.04 AED 3.80

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$1.17 AED 4.30

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 AED 6.45

$1.45 AED 5.33

21.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 AED 1.83

$0.59 AED 2.17

-15.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.46 AED 56.8

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 AED 12.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 AED 23.68

$6.47 AED 23.75

-0.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.77

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 AED 10.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 AED 8.61

$1.67 AED 6.14

40.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 AED 231

$40.17 AED 148

56.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 AED 5.35

$3.60 AED 13.21

-59.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 AED 3.45

$0.66 AED 2.42

42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 AED 30.78

$5.03 AED 18.47

66.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.76

$0.81 AED 2.99

-7.41%

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

$44.9K AED 164.8K

$45.4K AED 166.8K

-1.20%

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

$22.8K AED 83.8K

$22.3K AED 82.0K

2.20%

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

$148 AED 544

$195 AED 716

-24.04%

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

$44.24 AED 162

$65.9 AED 242

-32.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.6 AED 366

$102 AED 374

-2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 AED 207

$64.2 AED 236

-12.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.33 AED 148

$37.64 AED 138

7.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 AED 49.02

$13.00 AED 47.76

2.69%

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

$244 AED 895

$273 AED 1,002

-10.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 AED 18.7K

$5,985 AED 22.0K

-15.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 AED 426

$53.0 AED 195

118.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 AED 196

$97.4 AED 358

-45.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 503

$95.4 AED 350

43.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 500

$82.6 AED 303

64.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 AED 2,644

$755 AED 2,771

-4.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 AED 2,810

$596 AED 2,190

28.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 AED 7,241

$1,617 AED 5,939

21.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 AED 5,599

$1,008 AED 3,702

51.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,839 AED 17.8K

$8,253 AED 30.3K

-41.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,944 AED 7,139

$2,745 AED 10.1K

-29.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,605 AED 5,896

$2,234 AED 8,203

-28.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

4.42

10.41%

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

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

Last update for Sharjah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $755 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 39% higher in Sharjah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $33.00 in Sharjah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $188 – 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 – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 26%, 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 $2,922 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,321 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.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Ras al-Khaimah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah and $33.00 in Sharjah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharjah, where all-in costs run around $1,547, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,948. In Sharjah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ras al-Khaimah 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, Ras al-Khaimah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.