Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Mussaffah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Mussaffah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,573 per month in Sharjah vs $1,770 in Mussaffah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,253 per month in Sharjah vs $2,634 in Mussaffah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,933 per month in Sharjah vs $3,498 in Mussaffah, rent included.

Sharjah is about 11% cheaper than Mussaffah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sharjah and Mussaffah sit above the global median – Sharjah by 17%, Mussaffah by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 AED 19.70

$6.93 AED 25.44

-22.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.97 AED 121

$33.11 AED 122

-0.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.06 AED 33.29

$9.51 AED 34.94

-4.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 AED 34.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.64 AED 35.42

Cappuccino

$4.21 AED 15.48

$4.91 AED 18.04

-14.26%

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

$1.01 AED 3.72

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 AED 1.28

$0.35 AED 1.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.57 AED 35.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.42 AED 34.61

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 AED 6.24

$1.86 AED 6.83

-8.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 AED 4.36

$1.19 AED 4.38

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 AED 7.50

$2.00 AED 7.34

2.00%

Eggs

$2.73 AED 10.04

$2.85 AED 10.48

-4.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 AED 37.38

$10.24 AED 37.62

-0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 AED 25.56

$6.76 AED 24.83

2.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 AED 31.08

$8.83 AED 32.45

-4.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 AED 6.73

$1.83 AED 6.74

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 AED 5.42

$1.54 AED 5.64

-3.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.48

$1.47 AED 5.41

1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 AED 4.51

$1.17 AED 4.28

5.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 AED 3.71

$1.00 AED 3.69

1.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 AED 4.46

$1.19 AED 4.36

1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 AED 5.60

$1.52 AED 5.58

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 AED 2.35

$0.63 AED 2.30

1.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.76 AED 57.9

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 AED 7.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 AED 12.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 AED 23.11

$6.24 AED 22.94

0.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.44 AED 49.36

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 AED 8.23

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 AED 5.88

$1.61 AED 5.92

-0.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.57 AED 153

$53.0 AED 195

-21.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 AED 13.84

$3.26 AED 11.97

15.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 AED 2.59

$0.53 AED 1.94

33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 AED 18.49

$5.01 AED 18.42

0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 AED 3.01

$0.75 AED 2.77

9.33%

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

$45.1K AED 165.5K

$44.7K AED 164.1K

0.85%

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

$22.1K AED 81.3K

$22.4K AED 82.1K

-0.92%

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

$200 AED 734

$143 AED 524

39.94%

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

$65.9 AED 242

$65.0 AED 239

1.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 AED 379

$103 AED 378

0.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.9 AED 231

$65.5 AED 241

-3.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.58 AED 138

$38.84 AED 143

-3.24%

Cinema Ticket

$12.73 AED 46.75

$12.71 AED 46.68

0.16%

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

$275 AED 1,011

$631 AED 2,316

-56.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,018 AED 22.1K

$6,759 AED 24.8K

-10.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 AED 189

$52.5 AED 193

-2.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$97.2 AED 357

$56.7 AED 208

71.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 AED 353

$90.9 AED 334

5.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 AED 295

$81.4 AED 299

-1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 AED 2,845

$736 AED 2,704

5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 AED 2,215

$770 AED 2,828

-21.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 AED 5,923

$2,466 AED 9,056

-34.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 AED 3,768

$1,387 AED 5,095

-26.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,277 AED 30.4K

$4,899 AED 18.0K

68.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,688 AED 9,872

$2,304 AED 8,464

16.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,281 AED 8,377

$2,971 AED 10.9K

-23.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.75

-6.95%

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

Last update for Sharjah: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mussaffah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $775 in Sharjah versus $736 in Mussaffah. 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 30% higher in Mussaffah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Sharjah versus $33.00 in Mussaffah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $231 – 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 Mussaffah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mussaffah is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,360 per month in Sharjah and $2,654 in Mussaffah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $275 per month in Sharjah and $631 in Mussaffah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Mussaffah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharjah, where all-in costs run around $1,573, than in Mussaffah at $1,770. In Sharjah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mussaffah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sharjah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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