Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Al Ain Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Al Ain

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,549 per month in Sharjah vs $1,629 in Al Ain, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,243 per month in Sharjah vs $2,418 in Al Ain, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,938 per month in Sharjah vs $3,207 in Al Ain, rent included.

Sharjah is about 5% cheaper than Al Ain, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sharjah and Al Ain sit above the global median – Sharjah by 16%, Al Ain by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 AED 20.36

$6.50 AED 23.85

-14.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.18 AED 122

$69.3 AED 254

-52.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.36 AED 34.36

$8.15 AED 29.93

14.85%

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

$4.25 AED 15.60

$4.61 AED 16.91

-7.81%

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

$1.03 AED 3.77

$0.80 AED 2.95

28.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 AED 1.28

$0.38 AED 1.38

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 AED 30.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.73 AED 39.39

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 AED 6.53

$1.86 AED 6.83

-4.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 AED 4.21

$1.52 AED 5.60

-24.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 AED 7.46

$2.42 AED 8.89

-16.12%

Eggs

$2.73 AED 10.02

$3.19 AED 11.72

-14.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.39 AED 38.13

$2.64 AED 9.69

293.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 AED 25.89

$8.45 AED 31.00

-16.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 AED 32.56

$6.95 AED 25.52

27.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 AED 6.76

$2.47 AED 9.08

-25.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.47

$1.67 AED 6.12

-10.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.47

$1.38 AED 5.06

7.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 AED 4.52

$0.86 AED 3.15

43.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 AED 3.64

$0.65 AED 2.39

52.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.32

$0.40 AED 1.45

195.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 AED 5.33

$1.61 AED 5.92

-9.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 AED 2.36

$0.59 AED 2.16

8.47%

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)

$6.27 AED 23.01

$6.29 AED 23.07

-0.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 AED 45.15

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 AED 5.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 AED 8.02

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 AED 6.07

$1.07 AED 3.92

54.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.17 AED 147

$24.47 AED 89.8

64.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 AED 13.64

$2.71 AED 9.93

37.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 AED 2.56

$0.52 AED 1.89

34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 AED 18.03

$8.21 AED 30.13

-40.19%

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)

$45.4K AED 166.6K

$44.9K AED 164.8K

1.11%

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

$22.2K AED 81.5K

$22.3K AED 81.7K

-0.24%

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

$194 AED 711

$92.1 AED 338

110.43%

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

$66.6 AED 244

$50.2 AED 184

32.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 AED 379

$98.3 AED 361

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 AED 234

$53.7 AED 197

18.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.43 AED 141

$40.32 AED 148

-4.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 AED 47.64

$11.36 AED 41.69

14.26%

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

$272 AED 998

$633 AED 2,323

-57.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,086 AED 22.3K

$3,805 AED 14.0K

59.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 AED 195

$21.76 AED 79.9

143.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$97.0 AED 356

$56.0 AED 206

73.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 AED 356

$79.9 AED 293

21.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 AED 299

$55.1 AED 202

47.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 AED 2,823

$661 AED 2,425

16.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 AED 2,208

$743 AED 2,728

-19.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,635 AED 5,999

$5,105 AED 18.7K

-67.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 AED 3,756

$1,214 AED 4,454

-15.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,263 AED 30.3K

$2,425 AED 8,899

240.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,682 AED 9,841

$1,181 AED 4,333

127.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,283 AED 8,378

$2,911 AED 10.7K

-21.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.19

-14.84%

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

Last update for Sharjah: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al Ain: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Sharjah versus $661 in Al Ain. 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 27% higher in Al Ain, 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 Sharjah versus $69.0 in Al Ain. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $212 – 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

Sharjah vs Al Ain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Ain costs about 5% more than Sharjah, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,324 per month in Sharjah and $2,443 in Al Ain. 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 $272 per month in Sharjah and $633 in Al Ain. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Al Ain, 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 Al Ain at $1,629. In Sharjah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Ain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sharjah costs $1,549 versus $1,629 in Al Ain. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Al Ain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.