Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Dubai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Dubai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,591 in Sharjah versus $2,832 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,266 in Sharjah versus $4,340 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,940 in Sharjah versus $5,848 in Dubai.

Living in Sharjah costs roughly 44% less than in Dubai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sharjah 19% above, Dubai 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 AED 19.59

$10.76 AED 39.53

-50.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 AED 121

$80.4 AED 295

-59.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 AED 34.07

$9.77 AED 35.87

-5.02%

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

$4.29 AED 15.74

$5.76 AED 21.15

-25.52%

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

$0.96 AED 3.54

$1.19 AED 4.37

-19.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 AED 1.28

$0.90 AED 3.31

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.10 AED 44.45

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.64 AED 50.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 AED 6.26

$1.96 AED 7.20

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 AED 4.36

$1.43 AED 5.25

-16.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 AED 7.55

$2.18 AED 8.00

-5.50%

Eggs

$2.73 AED 10.01

$3.41 AED 12.54

-19.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 AED 38.48

$10.08 AED 37.01

3.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 AED 25.08

$9.21 AED 33.82

-25.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.58 AED 31.53

$12.68 AED 46.59

-32.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.81

$2.36 AED 8.66

-21.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$1.95 AED 7.15

-20.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 AED 5.17

$1.87 AED 6.86

-24.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.29

$1.54 AED 5.67

-24.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.68

$1.19 AED 4.35

-15.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.31

$1.26 AED 4.62

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 AED 5.38

$1.40 AED 5.14

4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 AED 2.37

$0.66 AED 2.41

-1.52%

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 12.28

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 AED 24.14

$6.71 AED 24.64

-2.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 AED 61.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 AED 13.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 AED 5.90

$1.65 AED 6.06

-2.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.24 AED 151

$83.2 AED 306

-50.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 AED 13.71

$3.20 AED 11.76

16.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.37

$0.81 AED 2.97

-19.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 AED 18.42

$8.07 AED 29.62

-37.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 AED 3.00

$0.75 AED 2.75

9.33%

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

$44.5K AED 163.3K

$32.6K AED 119.9K

36.25%

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

$22.0K AED 81.0K

$22.9K AED 84.0K

-3.60%

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

$201 AED 737

$215 AED 789

-6.58%

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

$64.9 AED 238

$61.8 AED 227

5.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 AED 382

$102 AED 375

1.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 AED 229

$86.9 AED 319

-28.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.36 AED 137

$46.46 AED 171

-19.59%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 AED 47.41

$15.23 AED 55.9

-15.23%

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

$276 AED 1,014

$851 AED 3,126

-67.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,972 AED 21.9K

$14.0K AED 51.5K

-57.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 AED 190

$82.4 AED 302

-37.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$96.5 AED 354

$62.2 AED 228

55.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 AED 352

$114 AED 418

-15.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 AED 294

$120 AED 439

-33.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 AED 2,825

$2,465 AED 9,051

-68.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 AED 2,180

$1,566 AED 5,751

-62.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 AED 5,847

$4,655 AED 17.1K

-65.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 AED 3,822

$2,950 AED 10.8K

-64.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,094 AED 29.7K

$7,113 AED 26.1K

13.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 AED 10.1K

$4,104 AED 15.1K

-33.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,206 AED 8,104

$3,390 AED 12.5K

-34.91%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Dubai: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $769 in Sharjah and $2,465 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Sharjah vs $80.0 in Dubai 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 Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sharjah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Dubai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $769 in Sharjah versus $2,465 in Dubai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sharjah runs roughly 102% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $276 in Sharjah versus $851 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,591 in Sharjah versus $2,832 in Dubai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sharjah but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Sharjah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sharjah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dubai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sharjah and Dubai 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 78% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.