Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,865 per month in Sharjah vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,636 per month in Sharjah vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,406 per month in Sharjah vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sharjah costs about 40% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sharjah sits 36% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.05 AED 22.22

$13.02 MX$221

-53.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.05 AED 118

$46.25 MX$784

-30.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 AED 30.10

$12.59 MX$213

-34.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.72 AED 35.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.50 AED 34.90

Cappuccino

$3.41 AED 12.52

$4.00 MX$67.9

-14.75%

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

$0.87 AED 3.20

$1.42 MX$24.08

-38.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 AED 1.05

$0.81 MX$13.73

-64.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 AED 5.71

$1.71 MX$29.04

-9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 AED 4.24

$2.22 MX$37.62

-48.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.81

$1.72 MX$29.13

7.56%

Eggs

$2.83 AED 10.39

$2.71 MX$45.99

4.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 AED 33.52

$9.37 MX$159

-2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 AED 25.43

$8.86 MX$150

-21.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 AED 42.43

$12.78 MX$217

-9.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 AED 7.91

$3.13 MX$53.0

-31.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 AED 6.02

$1.55 MX$26.24

5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.51

$2.15 MX$36.51

-30.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 AED 4.84

$2.35 MX$39.89

-43.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 AED 4.03

$2.02 MX$34.23

-45.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 AED 4.18

$1.99 MX$33.67

-42.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$1.24 MX$21.09

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 AED 2.13

$1.19 MX$20.21

-51.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.78 AED 58.0

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 AED 9.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 AED 24.05

$4.65 MX$78.8

40.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 AED 8.06

$0.56 MX$9.53

292.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.36 AED 152

$29.76 MX$504

38.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 AED 13.31

$5.32 MX$90.2

-31.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 AED 2.19

$3.72 MX$63.0

-83.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.74 AED 43.13

$5.78 MX$97.9

103.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 AED 3.29

$1.55 MX$26.27

-41.94%

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

$45.6K AED 167.6K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

104.02%

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

$21.9K AED 80.3K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-14.53%

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

$225 AED 827

$89.3 MX$1,513

152.15%

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

$49.27 AED 181

$23.30 MX$395

111.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.8 AED 348

$31.72 MX$538

198.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 AED 201

$68.8 MX$1,165

-20.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.35 AED 82.1

$29.40 MX$498

-23.98%

Cinema Ticket

$13.60 AED 49.94

$5.06 MX$85.7

168.77%

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

$308 AED 1,130

$222 MX$3,765

38.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,375 AED 30.8K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

95.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 AED 216

$46.21 MX$783

27.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.3 AED 280

$44.43 MX$753

71.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 AED 403

$95.5 MX$1,618

14.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 AED 343

$92.5 MX$1,568

0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 AED 2,795

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-28.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 AED 3,155

$393 MX$6,663

118.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 AED 6,436

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-11.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 AED 5,378

$1,304 MX$22.1K

12.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,048 AED 29.6K

$4,037 MX$68.4K

99.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,705 AED 9,933

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-59.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,191 AED 8,045

$747 MX$12.7K

193.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.6

-61.21%

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

Last update for Sharjah: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $761 in Sharjah versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 193% higher in Sharjah, 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 $32.00 in Sharjah versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $277 – 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sharjah is pricier by about 40%, 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 $2,798 per month in Sharjah and $1,995 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,865 in Sharjah and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Sharjah at $1,865. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sharjah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. 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.