Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,869 per month in Sharjah vs $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,654 per month in Sharjah vs $2,761 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,439 per month in Sharjah vs $3,777 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Sharjah costs about 7% more than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah sit above the global median – Sharjah by 36%, Ras al-Khaimah by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.09 AED 22.37

$12.04 AED 44.22

-49.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.47 AED 138

$45.52 AED 167

-17.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 AED 30.21

$7.48 AED 27.45

10.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.44 AED 34.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.62 AED 35.33

Cappuccino

$3.58 AED 13.15

$5.51 AED 20.24

-35.03%

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

$0.82 AED 3.00

$1.11 AED 4.07

-26.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 AED 1.12

$0.44 AED 1.60

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.06 AED 36.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 AED 35.93

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 AED 5.94

$1.71 AED 6.29

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 AED 4.23

$2.06 AED 7.56

-44.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 AED 7.14

$1.88 AED 6.91

3.19%

Eggs

$2.86 AED 10.49

$2.42 AED 8.88

18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 AED 32.59

$12.50 AED 45.90

-29.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.18 AED 26.38

$9.68 AED 35.56

-25.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.59 AED 42.57

$15.75 AED 57.9

-26.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 AED 7.95

$1.99 AED 7.30

8.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 AED 6.14

$1.59 AED 5.85

5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 AED 5.62

$1.50 AED 5.51

2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 AED 5.06

$1.34 AED 4.93

2.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 AED 4.11

$0.97 AED 3.56

15.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.28

$0.92 AED 3.38

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 AED 5.52

$1.75 AED 6.44

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 AED 2.14

$0.48 AED 1.75

20.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.64 AED 57.4

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AED 9.24

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 AED 9.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 AED 24.03

$6.77 AED 24.87

-3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 AED 50.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AED 9.25

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 AED 10.49

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 AED 8.24

$2.13 AED 7.82

5.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.71 AED 150

$112 AED 411

-63.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 AED 13.41

$1.72 AED 6.30

112.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 AED 2.16

$0.79 AED 2.89

-25.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.84 AED 43.47

$7.96 AED 29.23

48.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 AED 3.47

$0.89 AED 3.26

6.74%

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

$44.8K AED 164.4K

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-3.22%

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

$21.9K AED 80.5K

$21.8K AED 80.2K

0.38%

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

$223 AED 820

$124 AED 456

79.62%

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

$49.62 AED 182

$45.14 AED 166

9.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.9 AED 352

$79.6 AED 292

20.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 AED 202

$57.5 AED 211

-4.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.30 AED 81.9

$40.71 AED 150

-45.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 AED 49.12

$13.07 AED 48.00

2.37%

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

$317 AED 1,164

$296 AED 1,086

7.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,665 AED 31.8K

$4,411 AED 16.2K

96.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 AED 218

$82.5 AED 303

-28.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.4 AED 288

$52.4 AED 192

49.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 AED 404

$127 AED 466

-13.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 AED 354

$115 AED 422

-16.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 AED 3,011

$754 AED 2,768

8.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$886 AED 3,254

$581 AED 2,135

52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 AED 6,618

$1,642 AED 6,029

9.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 AED 5,546

$1,268 AED 4,655

19.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,097 AED 29.7K

$4,911 AED 18.0K

64.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 AED 10.2K

$1,949 AED 7,157

42.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,193 AED 8,053

$1,584 AED 5,818

38.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.92

-8.54%

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

Last update for Sharjah: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $820 in Sharjah versus $754 in Ras al-Khaimah. 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 38% 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 $37.00 in Sharjah versus $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $283 – 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 Ras al-Khaimah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sharjah is pricier by about 7%, 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 $2,804 per month in Sharjah and $2,617 in Ras al-Khaimah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 44% cheaper in Sharjah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Sharjah and $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ras al-Khaimah, where all-in costs run around $1,745, than in Sharjah at $1,869. In Ras al-Khaimah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sharjah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ras al-Khaimah – 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 Ras al-Khaimah. 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.