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 $1,591 per month in Sharjah vs $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,266 per month in Sharjah vs $2,976 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,940 per month in Sharjah vs $4,008 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Sharjah is about 18% cheaper than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah sit above the global median – Sharjah by 19%, Ras al-Khaimah by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 AED 19.59

$13.47 AED 49.46

-60.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 AED 121

$49.37 AED 181

-33.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 AED 34.07

$6.96 AED 25.56

33.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.68 AED 35.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.63 AED 35.38

Cappuccino

$4.29 AED 15.74

$5.55 AED 20.37

-22.70%

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

$0.96 AED 3.54

$1.32 AED 4.83

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 AED 1.28

$0.72 AED 2.63

-51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.87 AED 39.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 AED 36.91

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 AED 6.26

$1.57 AED 5.75

8.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 AED 4.36

$1.45 AED 5.32

-17.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 AED 7.55

$1.70 AED 6.24

21.18%

Eggs

$2.73 AED 10.01

$2.21 AED 8.11

23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 AED 38.48

$12.84 AED 47.15

-18.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 AED 25.08

$7.59 AED 27.87

-10.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.58 AED 31.53

$15.28 AED 56.1

-43.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.81

$2.19 AED 8.03

-15.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$1.76 AED 6.47

-11.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 AED 5.17

$1.51 AED 5.54

-6.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.29

$1.31 AED 4.80

-10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$0.97 AED 3.55

3.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.31

$1.03 AED 3.80

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 AED 5.38

$1.80 AED 6.60

-18.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 AED 2.37

$0.51 AED 1.86

27.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.77 AED 57.9

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 AED 12.27

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 AED 24.14

$6.29 AED 23.10

4.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 AED 49.60

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 AED 10.87

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 AED 5.90

$2.36 AED 8.68

-31.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.24 AED 151

$64.3 AED 236

-35.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 AED 13.71

$1.54 AED 5.65

142.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.37

$0.93 AED 3.41

-30.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 AED 18.42

$8.41 AED 30.90

-40.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 AED 3.00

$0.80 AED 2.93

2.50%

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

$44.5K AED 163.3K

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-3.86%

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

$22.0K AED 80.9K

$22.4K AED 82.3K

-1.67%

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

$201 AED 737

$149 AED 549

34.28%

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

$64.9 AED 238

$45.04 AED 165

43.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 AED 382

$101 AED 371

3.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 AED 229

$56.3 AED 207

10.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.36 AED 137

$41.13 AED 151

-9.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 AED 47.41

$13.44 AED 49.35

-3.94%

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

$276 AED 1,014

$248 AED 912

11.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,972 AED 21.9K

$5,208 AED 19.1K

14.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 AED 190

$117 AED 430

-55.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$96.5 AED 354

$53.7 AED 197

79.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 AED 352

$137 AED 502

-29.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 AED 294

$136 AED 498

-41.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 AED 2,824

$718 AED 2,637

7.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 AED 2,180

$783 AED 2,874

-24.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 AED 5,847

$1,994 AED 7,322

-20.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 AED 3,822

$1,512 AED 5,554

-31.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,094 AED 29.7K

$4,828 AED 17.7K

67.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 AED 10.1K

$1,965 AED 7,217

39.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,206 AED 8,103

$1,571 AED 5,770

40.43%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Sharjah versus $718 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 40% higher in Sharjah, 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 $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. 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 Ras al-Khaimah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 22%, 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 $2,387 per month in Sharjah and $2,914 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 Sharjah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Ras al-Khaimah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Sharjah and $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharjah, where all-in costs run around $1,591, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,943. In Sharjah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ras al-Khaimah 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, Ras al-Khaimah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.