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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,796 per month in Sharjah vs $1,953 in Mussaffah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,573 per month in Sharjah vs $3,399 in Mussaffah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,349 per month in Sharjah vs $4,846 in Mussaffah, rent included.

Sharjah is about 8% cheaper than Mussaffah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sharjah and Mussaffah sit above the global median – Sharjah by 31%, Mussaffah by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 AED 19.60

$6.80 AED 24.97

-21.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.04 AED 132

$36.45 AED 134

-1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 AED 29.79

$9.77 AED 35.89

-16.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.34 AED 34.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.63 AED 35.36

Cappuccino

$3.54 AED 13.00

$4.88 AED 17.92

-27.46%

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

$0.80 AED 2.93

$0.86 AED 3.17

-6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 AED 1.17

$0.31 AED 1.12

3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.75 AED 35.81

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.81 AED 36.03

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 AED 5.52

$1.83 AED 6.73

-18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 AED 4.37

$1.13 AED 4.15

5.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 AED 6.68

$1.86 AED 6.84

-2.15%

Eggs

$2.95 AED 10.85

$2.93 AED 10.75

0.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 AED 31.50

$9.13 AED 33.53

-6.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.98 AED 25.64

$6.95 AED 25.52

0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 AED 41.24

$10.29 AED 37.78

9.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 AED 8.28

$2.19 AED 8.05

2.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 AED 6.08

$1.73 AED 6.36

-4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 AED 5.63

$1.51 AED 5.54

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 AED 4.93

$1.38 AED 5.05

-2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 AED 3.89

$1.06 AED 3.91

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.30

$1.18 AED 4.33

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 AED 5.39

$1.56 AED 5.71

-5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 AED 2.11

$0.56 AED 2.07

1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.42 AED 56.6

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 AED 9.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 AED 9.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 AED 24.06

$6.35 AED 23.32

3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 AED 50.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 AED 9.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 AED 9.42

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 AED 8.14

$2.13 AED 7.84

4.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.81 AED 98.5

$41.37 AED 152

-35.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 AED 13.62

$3.21 AED 11.77

15.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 AED 2.06

$0.57 AED 2.08

-1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.00 AED 44.07

$8.28 AED 30.40

44.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 AED 3.58

$0.91 AED 3.33

7.69%

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

$45.4K AED 166.8K

$30.3K AED 111.2K

50.02%

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

$22.1K AED 81.3K

$21.6K AED 79.4K

2.33%

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

$209 AED 766

$183 AED 672

13.99%

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

$49.53 AED 182

$58.2 AED 214

-14.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.8 AED 359

$95.4 AED 350

2.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 AED 200

$57.9 AED 213

-6.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.66 AED 79.5

$27.97 AED 103

-22.56%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 AED 49.40

$13.51 AED 49.60

-0.44%

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

$323 AED 1,186

$688 AED 2,526

-53.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,883 AED 32.6K

$8,490 AED 31.2K

4.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 AED 218

$58.3 AED 214

1.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.0 AED 283

$49.32 AED 181

56.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 AED 401

$108 AED 395

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 AED 347

$95.6 AED 351

-1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 AED 3,053

$820 AED 3,010

1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 AED 3,310

$900 AED 3,304

0.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 AED 6,694

$1,793 AED 6,586

1.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 AED 5,211

$2,716 AED 9,976

-47.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,211 AED 30.2K

$4,936 AED 18.1K

66.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,718 AED 9,981

$2,306 AED 8,470

17.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,184 AED 8,021

$2,933 AED 10.8K

-25.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.58

-1.75%

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

Last update for Sharjah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mussaffah: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $831 in Sharjah versus $820 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 34% 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 $36.00 in Sharjah versus $36.00 in Mussaffah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $240 – 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 9%, 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 $2,694 per month in Sharjah and $2,929 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 $323 per month in Sharjah and $688 in Mussaffah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharjah, where all-in costs run around $1,796, than in Mussaffah at $1,953. 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.