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: $1,547 in Sharjah versus $2,908 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,247 in Sharjah versus $4,381 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Sharjah versus $5,854 in Dubai.

Living in Sharjah costs roughly 47% less than in Dubai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sharjah 15% above, Dubai 117% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 AED 19.64

$10.93 AED 40.14

-51.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.06 AED 121

$82.7 AED 304

-60.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 AED 34.99

$9.44 AED 34.67

0.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.48 AED 34.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.41 AED 34.56

Cappuccino

$4.30 AED 15.79

$5.57 AED 20.46

-22.80%

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

$0.93 AED 3.42

$1.25 AED 4.59

-25.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 AED 1.36

$0.93 AED 3.43

-60.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.04 AED 44.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.77

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 AED 6.54

$2.00 AED 7.36

-11.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 AED 4.34

$1.44 AED 5.29

-18.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 AED 7.47

$2.20 AED 8.09

-7.73%

Eggs

$2.79 AED 10.24

$3.46 AED 12.69

-19.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 AED 38.61

$10.08 AED 37.01

4.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 AED 24.59

$9.49 AED 34.86

-29.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.53 AED 31.31

$12.48 AED 45.84

-31.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 AED 6.70

$2.31 AED 8.49

-21.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 AED 5.75

$1.89 AED 6.95

-17.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 AED 5.40

$1.83 AED 6.74

-19.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 AED 4.47

$1.49 AED 5.46

-18.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 AED 3.80

$1.24 AED 4.54

-16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.30

$1.30 AED 4.78

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 AED 5.33

$1.44 AED 5.30

0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 AED 2.17

$0.70 AED 2.56

-15.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.46 AED 56.8

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 AED 12.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 AED 23.75

$6.44 AED 23.66

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.61 AED 61.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 AED 12.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.14

$1.64 AED 6.03

1.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.17 AED 148

$80.2 AED 295

-49.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 AED 13.21

$3.22 AED 11.83

11.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 AED 2.42

$0.79 AED 2.89

-16.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 AED 18.47

$8.14 AED 29.91

-38.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 AED 2.99

$0.77 AED 2.83

5.19%

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

$45.4K AED 166.8K

$32.5K AED 119.5K

39.61%

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

$22.3K AED 82.0K

$22.6K AED 83.0K

-1.24%

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

$195 AED 716

$219 AED 803

-10.81%

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

$65.9 AED 242

$62.0 AED 228

6.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 374

$101 AED 371

0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 AED 236

$88.7 AED 326

-27.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.64 AED 138

$45.84 AED 168

-17.89%

Cinema Ticket

$13.00 AED 47.76

$15.27 AED 56.1

-14.87%

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

$273 AED 1,002

$849 AED 3,120

-67.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,985 AED 22.0K

$14.1K AED 51.9K

-57.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 AED 195

$81.0 AED 298

-34.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$97.4 AED 358

$62.9 AED 231

54.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 AED 350

$113 AED 416

-15.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.6 AED 303

$120 AED 442

-31.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 AED 2,771

$2,450 AED 8,998

-69.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 AED 2,190

$1,589 AED 5,837

-62.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 AED 5,939

$4,667 AED 17.1K

-65.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 AED 3,702

$2,973 AED 10.9K

-66.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,253 AED 30.3K

$7,138 AED 26.2K

15.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,745 AED 10.1K

$4,288 AED 15.7K

-35.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,234 AED 8,203

$4,166 AED 15.3K

-46.38%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Dubai: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $755 in Sharjah and $2,450 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 87% 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 $83.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $284 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 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Dubai earns 87% less. 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: $755 in Sharjah versus $2,450 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 100% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $273 in Sharjah versus $849 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,547 in Sharjah versus $2,908 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 88% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.