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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,796 per month in Sharjah vs $3,277 in Al Fujayrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,573 per month in Sharjah vs $4,772 in Al Fujayrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,349 per month in Sharjah vs $6,267 in Al Fujayrah, rent included.

Sharjah is about 45% cheaper than Al Fujayrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sharjah and Al Fujayrah sit above the global median – Sharjah by 31%, Al Fujayrah by 140%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 AED 19.60

$7.98 AED 29.31

-33.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.04 AED 132

$59.2 AED 217

-39.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 AED 29.79

$9.40 AED 34.53

-13.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.34 AED 34.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.63 AED 35.36

Cappuccino

$3.54 AED 13.00

$5.86 AED 21.51

-39.59%

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

$0.80 AED 2.93

$1.45 AED 5.33

-44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 AED 1.17

$0.56 AED 2.06

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.44 AED 49.37

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.83 AED 50.8

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 AED 5.52

$1.74 AED 6.39

-13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 AED 4.37

$1.15 AED 4.23

3.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 AED 6.68

$2.43 AED 8.94

-25.10%

Eggs

$2.95 AED 10.85

$3.38 AED 12.42

-12.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 AED 31.50

$5.44 AED 19.97

57.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.98 AED 25.64

$5.43 AED 19.94

28.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 AED 41.24

$7.86 AED 28.85

42.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 AED 8.28

$1.81 AED 6.64

24.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 AED 6.08

$1.35 AED 4.96

22.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 AED 5.63

$1.29 AED 4.73

18.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 AED 4.93

$1.41 AED 5.19

-4.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 AED 3.89

$1.01 AED 3.71

4.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.30

$1.00 AED 3.66

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 AED 5.39

$1.12 AED 4.10

31.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 AED 2.11

$0.66 AED 2.41

-13.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.42 AED 56.6

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 AED 9.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 AED 9.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 AED 24.06

$6.03 AED 22.13

8.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 AED 59.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 AED 9.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 AED 11.80

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 AED 8.14

$2.89 AED 10.62

-23.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.81 AED 98.5

$16.06 AED 59.0

66.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 AED 13.62

$2.70 AED 9.93

37.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 AED 2.06

$0.26 AED 0.94

115.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.00 AED 44.07

$2.68 AED 9.83

347.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 AED 3.58

$0.81 AED 2.96

20.99%

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

$45.4K AED 166.8K

$26.7K AED 98.0K

70.20%

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

$22.1K AED 81.3K

$22.6K AED 83.2K

-2.25%

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

$209 AED 766

$234 AED 858

-10.63%

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

$49.53 AED 182

$44.04 AED 162

12.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.8 AED 359

$93.0 AED 342

5.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 AED 200

$95.0 AED 349

-42.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.66 AED 79.5

$30.15 AED 111

-28.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 AED 49.40

$9.93 AED 36.46

35.45%

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

$323 AED 1,186

$274 AED 1,007

17.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,883 AED 32.6K

$4,566 AED 16.8K

94.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 AED 218

$29.99 AED 110

97.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.0 AED 283

$53.5 AED 196

44.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 AED 401

$103 AED 379

5.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 AED 347

$80.9 AED 297

16.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 AED 3,053

$2,396 AED 8,799

-65.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 AED 3,310

$2,048 AED 7,521

-56.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 AED 6,694

$5,032 AED 18.5K

-63.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 AED 5,211

$4,004 AED 14.7K

-64.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,211 AED 30.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,718 AED 9,981

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,184 AED 8,021

$3,683 AED 13.5K

-40.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

125.00%

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

Last update for Sharjah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al Fujayrah: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $831 in Sharjah versus $2,396 in Al Fujayrah. 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 69% higher in Al Fujayrah, 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 $36.00 in Sharjah versus $59.0 in Al Fujayrah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $218 – 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 Fujayrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Fujayrah costs about 82% 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 $2,694 per month in Sharjah and $4,915 in Al Fujayrah. 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 $323 per month in Sharjah and $274 in Al Fujayrah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Al Fujayrah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharjah, where all-in costs run around $1,796, than in Al Fujayrah at $3,277. In Sharjah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Fujayrah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sharjah costs $1,796 versus $3,277 in Al Fujayrah. 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 Fujayrah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.