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 $1,547 per month in Sharjah vs $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,247 per month in Sharjah vs $3,021 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,946 per month in Sharjah vs $4,093 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Sharjah is about 21% cheaper than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah sit above the global median – Sharjah by 15%, Ras al-Khaimah by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 AED 19.64

$13.55 AED 49.77

-60.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.06 AED 121

$49.69 AED 183

-33.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 AED 35.00

$6.61 AED 24.26

44.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.48 AED 34.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.41 AED 34.56

Cappuccino

$4.30 AED 15.79

$5.63 AED 20.67

-23.62%

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

$0.93 AED 3.42

$1.32 AED 4.83

-29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 AED 1.36

$0.68 AED 2.49

-45.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 AED 40.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.23 AED 37.59

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 AED 6.54

$1.63 AED 6.00

9.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 AED 4.34

$1.47 AED 5.39

-19.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 AED 7.47

$1.72 AED 6.31

18.02%

Eggs

$2.79 AED 10.24

$2.31 AED 8.49

20.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 AED 38.62

$12.89 AED 47.33

-18.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 AED 24.59

$7.63 AED 28.02

-12.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.53 AED 31.31

$15.03 AED 55.2

-43.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 AED 6.70

$2.21 AED 8.14

-17.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 AED 5.75

$1.80 AED 6.61

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 AED 5.40

$1.50 AED 5.50

-2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 AED 4.47

$1.26 AED 4.62

-3.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 AED 3.80

$0.96 AED 3.53

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.30

$1.00 AED 3.67

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 AED 5.33

$1.76 AED 6.45

-17.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 AED 2.17

$0.50 AED 1.83

18.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.46 AED 56.8

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 AED 6.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 AED 12.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 AED 23.75

$6.45 AED 23.68

0.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 AED 10.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.14

$2.34 AED 8.61

-28.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.17 AED 148

$63.0 AED 231

-36.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 AED 13.21

$1.46 AED 5.35

146.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 AED 2.42

$0.94 AED 3.45

-29.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 AED 18.47

$8.38 AED 30.78

-39.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 AED 2.99

$0.75 AED 2.76

8.00%

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

$45.4K AED 166.8K

$44.9K AED 164.8K

1.21%

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

$22.3K AED 82.0K

$22.8K AED 83.8K

-2.15%

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

$195 AED 716

$148 AED 544

31.65%

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

$65.9 AED 242

$44.24 AED 163

48.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 374

$99.6 AED 366

2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 AED 236

$56.2 AED 207

14.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.64 AED 138

$40.33 AED 148

-6.67%

Cinema Ticket

$13.00 AED 47.76

$13.35 AED 49.02

-2.62%

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

$273 AED 1,002

$244 AED 895

11.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,985 AED 22.0K

$5,084 AED 18.7K

17.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 AED 195

$116 AED 426

-54.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$97.4 AED 358

$53.5 AED 196

81.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 AED 350

$137 AED 503

-30.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.6 AED 304

$136 AED 500

-39.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 AED 2,772

$720 AED 2,644

4.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 AED 2,191

$765 AED 2,810

-22.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 AED 5,940

$1,972 AED 7,242

-17.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 AED 3,702

$1,524 AED 5,599

-33.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,253 AED 30.3K

$4,839 AED 17.8K

70.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,745 AED 10.1K

$1,944 AED 7,140

41.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,234 AED 8,204

$1,605 AED 5,896

39.14%

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: May 30, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $755 in Sharjah versus $720 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 39% 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 $50.0 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 26%, 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 $2,321 per month in Sharjah and $2,922 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 42% 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 $50.0 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 $1,547, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,948. 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.