Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,591 in Sharjah versus $1,570 in Umm Al Quwain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,266 in Sharjah versus $2,232 in Umm Al Quwain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,940 in Sharjah versus $2,893 in Umm Al Quwain.

Living in Sharjah is roughly 1% more expensive than in Umm Al Quwain, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sharjah 19% above, Umm Al Quwain 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 AED 19.59

$5.89 AED 21.62

-9.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 AED 121

$27.46 AED 101

19.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 AED 34.07

$8.22 AED 30.21

12.90%

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

$3.69 AED 13.57

16.26%

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

$0.96 AED 3.54

$0.86 AED 3.16

11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 AED 1.28

$0.41 AED 1.50

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.68 AED 39.24

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.02 AED 40.48

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 AED 6.26

$1.90 AED 6.98

-10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 AED 4.36

$1.22 AED 4.47

-2.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 AED 7.55

$1.41 AED 5.17

46.10%

Eggs

$2.73 AED 10.01

$1.90 AED 6.96

43.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 AED 38.48

$8.77 AED 32.22

19.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 AED 25.08

$6.71 AED 24.64

1.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.58 AED 31.53

$7.28 AED 26.75

17.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.81

$1.66 AED 6.11

11.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$1.30 AED 4.77

19.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 AED 5.17

$1.46 AED 5.35

-3.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.29

$1.06 AED 3.88

10.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$0.93 AED 3.42

7.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.31

$1.03 AED 3.77

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 AED 5.38

$0.82 AED 3.00

78.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 AED 2.37

$0.61 AED 2.24

6.56%

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

$6.40 AED 23.51

2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 AED 39.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 AED 5.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 AED 9.94

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 AED 5.90

$1.59 AED 5.85

1.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.24 AED 151

$52.6 AED 193

-21.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 AED 13.71

$3.24 AED 11.88

15.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.37

$0.84 AED 3.10

-22.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 AED 18.42

$8.11 AED 29.80

-38.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 AED 3.00

$0.73 AED 2.68

12.33%

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

$44.5K AED 163.3K

$32.8K AED 120.3K

35.78%

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

$22.0K AED 80.9K

$22.7K AED 83.3K

-2.87%

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

$201 AED 737

$137 AED 504

46.07%

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

$64.9 AED 238

$61.4 AED 226

5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 AED 382

$102 AED 375

1.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 AED 229

$123 AED 452

-49.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.36 AED 137

$40.23 AED 148

-7.13%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 AED 47.41

$13.70 AED 50.3

-5.77%

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

$276 AED 1,014

$597 AED 2,193

-53.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,972 AED 21.9K

$5,667 AED 20.8K

5.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 AED 190

$59.2 AED 217

-12.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$96.5 AED 354

$60.5 AED 222

59.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 AED 352

$83.4 AED 306

14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 AED 294

$94.0 AED 345

-14.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 AED 2,824

$693 AED 2,547

10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 AED 2,180

$551 AED 2,023

7.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 AED 5,847

$1,002 AED 3,681

58.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 AED 3,822

$813 AED 2,988

27.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,094 AED 29.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 AED 10.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,206 AED 8,103

$3,339 AED 12.3K

-33.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.53

-2.43%

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

Last update for Sharjah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Umm Al Quwain: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $769 in Sharjah and $693 in Umm Al Quwain. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umm Al Quwain pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Sharjah vs $27.00 in Umm Al Quwain. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $204, with Sharjah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Umm Al Quwain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,591 vs $1,570 including rent). Umm Al Quwain is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Umm Al Quwain. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $769 in Sharjah versus $693 in Umm Al Quwain. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Umm Al Quwain – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $33.00 in Sharjah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,591 per month in Sharjah versus $1,570 in Umm Al Quwain – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,570 in Umm Al Quwain versus $1,591 in Sharjah, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Umm Al Quwain but tight or insufficient in Sharjah. The gap between the two cities makes Umm Al Quwain the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Umm Al Quwain gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Sharjah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.