Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Fujairah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Fujairah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,584 per month in Sharjah vs $1,461 in Fujairah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,291 per month in Sharjah vs $2,385 in Fujairah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,997 per month in Sharjah vs $3,310 in Fujairah, rent included.

Sharjah costs about 8% more than Fujairah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sharjah and Fujairah sit above the global median – Sharjah by 19%, Fujairah by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 AED 20.34

$6.87 AED 25.22

-19.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 AED 120

$40.24 AED 148

-19.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 AED 33.84

$6.64 AED 24.40

38.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.55 AED 35.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.45 AED 34.72

Cappuccino

$4.44 AED 16.29

$5.58 AED 20.49

-20.43%

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

$0.95 AED 3.50

$0.73 AED 2.67

30.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 AED 1.37

$0.52 AED 1.92

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.74 AED 39.46

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 AED 37.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 AED 6.48

$1.65 AED 6.07

7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 AED 4.41

$1.33 AED 4.88

-9.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 AED 7.50

$1.80 AED 6.60

13.33%

Eggs

$2.77 AED 10.16

$2.29 AED 8.40

20.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 AED 37.75

$12.87 AED 47.27

-20.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 AED 25.05

$7.61 AED 27.95

-10.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 AED 31.03

$15.61 AED 57.3

-45.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 AED 6.75

$2.23 AED 8.19

-17.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.46

$1.74 AED 6.41

-14.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 AED 5.22

$1.57 AED 5.75

-9.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.33

$1.32 AED 4.85

-10.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$0.98 AED 3.59

2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.32

$1.00 AED 3.68

18.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 AED 5.48

$1.74 AED 6.40

-14.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 AED 2.33

$0.54 AED 1.97

18.52%

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 12.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.33 AED 23.24

$6.28 AED 23.05

0.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 AED 49.69

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 AED 9.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 AED 7.80

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 AED 6.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.20 AED 148

$52.7 AED 194

-23.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 AED 13.21

$1.54 AED 5.66

133.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 AED 2.43

$0.65 AED 2.38

1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 AED 17.53

$8.02 AED 29.46

-40.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.77

$0.78 AED 2.86

-3.85%

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

$44.9K AED 165.0K

$45.2K AED 165.9K

-0.56%

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

$22.5K AED 82.7K

$22.3K AED 82.0K

0.83%

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

$197 AED 725

$146 AED 537

35.08%

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

$64.5 AED 237

$44.24 AED 162

45.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$102 AED 373

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 AED 229

$17.94 AED 65.9

247.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.49 AED 141

$39.95 AED 147

-3.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.90 AED 47.36

$8.84 AED 32.45

45.93%

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

$274 AED 1,005

$219 AED 803

25.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,120 AED 22.5K

$5,253 AED 19.3K

16.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 AED 188

$114 AED 419

-55.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$98.6 AED 362

$54.4 AED 200

81.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 AED 353

$139 AED 510

-30.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 AED 302

$138 AED 507

-40.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 AED 2,763

$535 AED 1,966

40.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 AED 2,214

$413 AED 1,516

46.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 AED 5,908

$1,487 AED 5,461

8.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 AED 3,823

$1,075 AED 3,949

-3.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,029 AED 29.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,747 AED 10.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,246 AED 8,251

$3,765 AED 13.8K

-40.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.88

-9.43%

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

Last update for Sharjah: July 26, 2026

Last update for Fujairah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $752 in Sharjah versus $535 in Fujairah. 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 68% higher in Fujairah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Sharjah versus $40.00 in Fujairah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $267 – 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 Fujairah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,584 in Sharjah, $1,461 in Fujairah – roughly 8% apart. Sharjah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,376 per month in Sharjah and $2,191 in Fujairah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fujairah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $274 per month in Sharjah and $219 in Fujairah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% cheaper in Sharjah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fujairah, where all-in costs run around $1,461, than in Sharjah at $1,584. In Fujairah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sharjah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sharjah has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,461 in Fujairah to $1,584 in Sharjah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Fujairah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sharjah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.