Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Dibba Al-Fujairah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Dibba Al-Fujairah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,584 in Sharjah versus $2,034 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,291 in Sharjah versus $3,083 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,997 in Sharjah versus $4,132 in Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Living in Sharjah costs roughly 22% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sharjah 19% above, Dibba Al-Fujairah 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 AED 20.34

$10.69 AED 39.25

-48.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 AED 120

$83.1 AED 305

-60.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 AED 33.84

$9.74 AED 35.78

-5.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.55 AED 35.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.45 AED 34.71

Cappuccino

$4.44 AED 16.29

$5.51 AED 20.25

-19.42%

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

$0.95 AED 3.50

$1.24 AED 4.55

-23.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 AED 1.37

$0.93 AED 3.42

-60.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.46 AED 45.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.74 AED 50.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 AED 6.48

$1.98 AED 7.28

-10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 AED 4.41

$1.41 AED 5.19

-14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 AED 7.50

$2.25 AED 8.26

-9.33%

Eggs

$2.77 AED 10.16

$3.29 AED 12.08

-15.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 AED 37.75

$10.02 AED 36.79

2.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 AED 25.05

$9.38 AED 34.47

-27.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 AED 31.03

$12.74 AED 46.80

-33.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 AED 6.75

$2.28 AED 8.37

-19.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.46

$1.87 AED 6.87

-20.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 AED 5.22

$1.91 AED 7.03

-25.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.33

$1.50 AED 5.52

-21.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$1.18 AED 4.33

-15.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.32

$1.27 AED 4.65

-7.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 AED 5.48

$1.41 AED 5.16

5.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 AED 2.33

$0.69 AED 2.52

-7.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.34 AED 56.3

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 AED 7.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 AED 12.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.33 AED 23.24

$6.70 AED 24.60

-5.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.38 AED 60.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 AED 10.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 AED 12.52

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 AED 6.11

$1.67 AED 6.14

-0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.20 AED 148

$53.0 AED 194

-24.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 AED 13.21

$3.23 AED 11.87

11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 AED 2.43

$0.53 AED 1.94

24.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 AED 17.52

$8.28 AED 30.39

-42.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.77

$0.73 AED 2.66

2.74%

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

$44.9K AED 165.0K

$33.2K AED 122.1K

35.12%

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

$22.5K AED 82.7K

$23.0K AED 84.5K

-2.14%

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

$197 AED 725

$214 AED 785

-7.68%

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

$64.5 AED 237

$60.9 AED 224

5.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$101 AED 372

-0.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 AED 229

$64.4 AED 236

-3.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.49 AED 141

$39.45 AED 145

-2.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.90 AED 47.36

$15.28 AED 56.1

-15.58%

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

$274 AED 1,005

$826 AED 3,034

-66.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,120 AED 22.5K

$5,664 AED 20.8K

8.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 AED 188

$82.0 AED 301

-37.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$98.6 AED 362

$63.0 AED 232

56.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 AED 353

$116 AED 424

-16.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 AED 302

$120 AED 439

-31.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 AED 2,763

$743 AED 2,729

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 AED 2,214

$754 AED 2,767

-20.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 AED 5,908

$2,523 AED 9,267

-36.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 AED 3,823

$1,362 AED 5,001

-23.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,029 AED 29.5K

$5,135 AED 18.9K

56.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,747 AED 10.1K

$2,332 AED 8,566

17.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,246 AED 8,250

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.49

-1.56%

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

Last update for Sharjah: July 26, 2026

Last update for Dibba Al-Fujairah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Sharjah and $743 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Sharjah vs $83.0 in Dibba Al-Fujairah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $282 per month, with Sharjah cheaper across the board.

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 Dibba Al-Fujairah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sharjah and Dibba Al-Fujairah differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,584 vs $2,034 including rent). Sharjah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,376 in Sharjah and $3,051 in Dibba Al-Fujairah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $752 in Sharjah versus $743 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sharjah runs roughly 32% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $274 in Sharjah versus $826 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,584 in Sharjah versus $2,034 in Dibba Al-Fujairah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sharjah but tight or insufficient in Dibba Al-Fujairah. The gap between the two cities makes Sharjah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sharjah and Dibba Al-Fujairah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sharjah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Dibba Al-Fujairah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.