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 $1,943 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,591 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,976 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,266 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,008 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,940 in Sharjah, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 22% 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 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 AED 49.46

$5.33 AED 19.59

152.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 AED 181

$32.93 AED 121

49.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 AED 25.56

$9.28 AED 34.07

-25.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.68 AED 35.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.63 AED 35.38

Cappuccino

$5.55 AED 20.37

$4.29 AED 15.74

29.37%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$0.96 AED 3.54

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 AED 2.63

$0.35 AED 1.28

105.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.87 AED 39.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 AED 36.91

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$1.70 AED 6.26

-7.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 AED 5.32

$1.19 AED 4.36

21.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 AED 6.24

$2.06 AED 7.55

-17.48%

Eggs

$2.21 AED 8.11

$2.73 AED 10.01

-19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 AED 47.15

$10.48 AED 38.48

22.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 AED 27.87

$6.83 AED 25.08

11.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 AED 56.1

$8.58 AED 31.53

78.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 AED 8.03

$1.85 AED 6.81

18.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 AED 6.47

$1.55 AED 5.69

13.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.54

$1.41 AED 5.17

7.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 AED 4.80

$1.17 AED 4.29

11.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.55

$1.00 AED 3.67

-3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 AED 3.80

$1.17 AED 4.31

-11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 AED 6.60

$1.46 AED 5.38

23.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 AED 1.86

$0.65 AED 2.37

-21.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.77 AED 57.9

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 AED 12.27

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 AED 23.10

$6.57 AED 24.14

-4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 AED 49.60

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 AED 10.87

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 AED 8.68

$1.61 AED 5.90

46.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 AED 236

$41.24 AED 151

55.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.65

$3.73 AED 13.71

-58.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 AED 3.41

$0.65 AED 2.37

43.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 AED 30.90

$5.02 AED 18.42

67.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 AED 2.93

$0.82 AED 3.00

-2.44%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$44.5K AED 163.3K

4.02%

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

$22.4K AED 82.3K

$22.0K AED 80.9K

1.70%

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

$149 AED 549

$201 AED 737

-25.53%

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

$45.04 AED 165

$64.9 AED 238

-30.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$104 AED 382

-2.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 AED 207

$62.4 AED 229

-9.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.13 AED 151

$37.36 AED 137

10.09%

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 AED 49.35

$12.91 AED 47.41

4.11%

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

$248 AED 912

$276 AED 1,014

-10.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,208 AED 19.1K

$5,972 AED 21.9K

-12.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 AED 430

$51.8 AED 190

126.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 AED 197

$96.5 AED 354

-44.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 502

$95.8 AED 352

42.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 498

$80.0 AED 294

69.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 AED 2,637

$769 AED 2,824

-6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 AED 2,874

$594 AED 2,180

31.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 AED 7,322

$1,592 AED 5,847

25.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 AED 5,554

$1,041 AED 3,822

45.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,828 AED 17.7K

$8,094 AED 29.7K

-40.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 AED 7,217

$2,749 AED 10.1K

-28.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,571 AED 5,770

$2,206 AED 8,103

-28.79%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $718 in Ras al-Khaimah 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 40% 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 $49.00 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 22%, 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 $2,914 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,387 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 41% 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 $49.00 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 $1,591, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,943. 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.