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: $1,864 in Sharjah versus $2,873 in Dubai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,636 in Sharjah versus $4,383 in Dubai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,408 in Sharjah versus $5,894 in Dubai.

Living in Sharjah costs roughly 35% less than in Dubai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sharjah 35% above, Dubai 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.87 AED 21.55

$12.61 AED 46.31

-53.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.40 AED 137

$82.7 AED 304

-54.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 AED 29.97

$9.27 AED 34.05

-11.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.66 AED 35.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.28 AED 34.07

Cappuccino

$3.44 AED 12.64

$6.25 AED 22.96

-44.96%

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

$0.85 AED 3.11

$1.68 AED 6.18

-49.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 AED 1.12

$0.84 AED 3.09

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.80 AED 50.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.42 AED 49.28

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 AED 5.71

$1.71 AED 6.29

-9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 AED 4.28

$1.49 AED 5.46

-21.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 AED 7.20

$2.45 AED 8.99

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.81 AED 10.31

$3.29 AED 12.08

-14.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 AED 31.71

$12.50 AED 45.90

-30.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 AED 26.42

$9.63 AED 35.36

-25.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 AED 42.67

$13.25 AED 48.65

-12.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 AED 7.91

$2.56 AED 9.39

-16.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 AED 6.34

$2.02 AED 7.41

-14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 AED 5.79

$1.83 AED 6.71

-13.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 AED 4.85

$1.36 AED 4.99

-2.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 AED 3.93

$1.10 AED 4.03

-2.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 AED 4.48

$0.94 AED 3.47

29.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 AED 5.76

$1.49 AED 5.48

5.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 AED 2.11

$0.68 AED 2.50

-16.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.48 AED 56.9

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 AED 8.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 AED 9.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 AED 23.63

$6.11 AED 22.42

5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 AED 59.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 AED 9.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 AED 11.68

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 AED 8.23

$1.60 AED 5.86

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.06 AED 151

$67.8 AED 249

-39.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 AED 13.52

$3.31 AED 12.17

11.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 AED 2.35

$0.72 AED 2.66

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.18 AED 44.74

$8.02 AED 29.44

51.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 AED 3.52

$0.96 AED 3.53

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$27.7K AED 101.7K

67.08%

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

$21.9K AED 80.6K

$22.1K AED 81.3K

-0.89%

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

$226 AED 830

$240 AED 881

-5.75%

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

$49.64 AED 182

$54.2 AED 199

-8.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$96.1 AED 353

$91.3 AED 335

5.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 AED 200

$101 AED 371

-46.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.26 AED 81.8

$45.81 AED 168

-51.41%

Cinema Ticket

$13.71 AED 50.3

$16.61 AED 61.0

-17.46%

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

$314 AED 1,154

$842 AED 3,092

-62.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,432 AED 31.0K

$18.0K AED 66.0K

-53.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 AED 217

$75.8 AED 278

-21.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.9 AED 286

$56.1 AED 206

38.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 AED 398

$102 AED 375

6.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 AED 350

$98.5 AED 362

-3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 AED 2,976

$2,388 AED 8,770

-66.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$911 AED 3,344

$1,503 AED 5,521

-39.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 AED 6,690

$4,599 AED 16.9K

-60.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,497 AED 5,498

$2,909 AED 10.7K

-48.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,027 AED 29.5K

$6,998 AED 25.7K

14.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,761 AED 10.1K

$4,045 AED 14.9K

-31.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,215 AED 8,134

$3,551 AED 13.0K

-37.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.54

-0.88%

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

Last update for Sharjah: September 7, 2026

Last update for Dubai: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $810 in Sharjah and $2,388 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 60% 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: $37.00 in Sharjah vs $83.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $291 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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 60% 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: $810 in Sharjah versus $2,388 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 65% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $314 in Sharjah versus $842 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,864 in Sharjah versus $2,873 in Dubai, a $3,000 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 54% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.