Cost of living · UAE
Sharjah: utilities, fees and commuting
Sharjah: electricity and water for 1,000 kWh and 20 m³ a month cost AED 466 before VAT (SEWA). Municipality fee: Attesting a residential lease costs 4% of the annual rent (minimum AED 500) once, at registration; no monthly municipality fee on the SEWA bill was found in an official source. Driving from Al Nahda to DXB / Deira costs about AED 384 a month in fuel and tolls (17.4 km, 29 min without traffic). Rent: Sharjah Municipality publishes an interactive rental map; there is no downloadable data by area and bedrooms.
Electricity and water
SEWA: electricity AED 290.00 and water AED 175.98 a month for 1,000 kWh and 20 m³, before VAT (5% VAT is added (SEWA calculator)). slab tariff + fuel surcharge (water priced per imperial gallon), before VAT; 1000 kWh and 20 m³ a month (apartment, example).
Municipality / housing fee
Attesting a residential lease costs 4% of the annual rent (minimum AED 500) once, at registration; no monthly municipality fee on the SEWA bill was found in an official source.
Rent
Sharjah Municipality publishes an interactive rental map; there is no downloadable data by area and bedrooms.
School fees
Private school fees in Sharjah are published by SPEA, the Sharjah Private Education Authority, on each school's page. Look up a school in the official directory. Official school search by SPEA
We link to the official source and do not republish these fees. Dubai school fees (KHDA open data)
Commuting by car
| From | To Downtown / DIFC | To Dubai Internet City / Marina | To JAFZA / Dubai South | To DXB / Deira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al NahdaSharjah | AED 57020.9 km · 22 min without traffic · tolls AED 12/day | AED 1,18744.7 km · 39 min without traffic · tolls AED 24/day | AED 96563.3 km · 50 min without traffic | AED 38417.4 km · 29 min without traffic · tolls AED 6/day |
| MuwailehSharjah | AED 74833.3 km · 31 min without traffic · tolls AED 12/day | AED 81255.5 km · 45 min without traffic | AED 1,00467.8 km · 54 min without traffic | AED 46021.9 km · 33 min without traffic · tolls AED 6/day |
Car: 5 days a week, there and back, leaving at 07:30 and 18:00; 8 L/100 km of Special 95 at the official 2026-10 price (AED 4.28 a litre); Salik and Darb gates on the route charged with the published tariff for the time the car passes them. Parking is not included. Peak-hour travel times are not published by an official source; the times shown are free-flow (no traffic) and real rush-hour trips take longer.
Routes, distances, areas and toll-gate locations: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL); routing by OSRM. The route data in /uae-emirates-costs.json is offered under the same licence.
Public transport to Dubai
- E303 from Sharjah Al Jubail Bus Station to Union Square Bus Station: fare not published on an official page we could read (source)
- E306 from Al Jubail Bus Station to Al Ghubaiba Bus Station: fare not published on an official page we could read (source)
- E307 from Al Jubail Bus Station to Deira City Centre Bus Station: fare not published on an official page we could read (source)
- E308 from Al Jubail Bus Station to Stadium Bus Station: AED 12 one way (source)
- E311 from Al Jubail Bus Station to Rashidiya Station: fare not published on an official page we could read (source)
Airports
- Al Nahda: Dubai International Airport (DXB), 6 km in a straight line
- Muwaileh: Sharjah International Airport (SHJ), 5 km in a straight line
Frequently asked questions
- How much is the electricity and water bill in Sharjah?
- AED 466 a month before VAT for 1,000 kWh and 20 m³ (SEWA).
- Do tenants in Sharjah pay a municipality fee?
- Attesting a residential lease costs 4% of the annual rent (minimum AED 500) once, at registration; no monthly municipality fee on the SEWA bill was found in an official source.
- How much does it cost to commute from Sharjah to Dubai by car?
- From Al Nahda to DXB / Deira: about AED 384 a month in fuel and tolls, 17.4 km and 29 minutes without traffic each way; parking not included and rush-hour times are longer.
Sources
- Sharjah utilities: www.sewa.gov.ae (read 2 October 2026)
- Sharjah bus E303: www.rta.ae
- Sharjah bus E306: www.rta.ae
- Sharjah bus E307: www.rta.ae
- Sharjah bus E308: mediaoffice.ae
- Sharjah bus E311: www.rta.ae