Ajman and Sharjah are 2 great choices to consider if you are looking to shift or live in the United Arab Emirates or the UAE. They are fantastic places to compare and choose from. Through this article, let us try to answer your question – Ajman or Sharjah – which place is better to live in?
We will answer this by comparing both places on various factors. These factors would be rent or costs of living, schools and education, healthcare and benefits, daily accessibility or shops, transportation, access to Dubai, and other daily needs that would be predominant for considering living in a place.
So, let’s dive in to answer the following – Ajman or Sharjah – which place is better to live in?
#1. Rents or Costs of Living
Ajman and Sharjah are the 2 Emirates out of the 7 emirate states. Would this mean that the costs of living or rent prices be very high? Which is more affordable in terms of living costs? Let’s take a look
People living in Ajman or Sharjah can choose to live in a variety of options including quaint townhouses, comfortable apartments, and lavish villas. Make a note that both emirates have equal choices of housing for both luxurious rentals and budget-friendly options. If we consider an example of a single-bed apartment, the rent would range from around 15k AED to 30k AED. This range varies on the popularity of the area. This range applies to be similar for both Ajman and Sharjah. If we talk about studios, a single person living in it would pay a little more in Ajman than in Sharjah. But, overall, the only point to note would be the location of the house, whether it is near a fabulous beach view or if it is very near to most happening places like Dubai.
#2. Schools and Education
Families often consider schooling and the cost of education to be very important factors when deciding on a place to live in. People in the UAE often prefer good private schools, and there is a range of curriculums available. Popular ones would be Indian, British, IB, or American curricula. If we consider the highest and lowest tuition prices, we can conclude that Ajman is definitely more affordable for education or schooling. Ajman leads here with a small margin over Sharjah. Most ranges are honestly of similar ranges.
If you want to get into specifics, then note that Indian-based schools have very fewer tuition costs compared to British and American curricula, in both Ajman and Sharjah. It’s almost half the prices down. Higher ranges of British schools tend to be more than costly American schools in both places.
It is clear that Sharjah’s schools are often a tad more expensive than Ajman’s. However, both cities’ price schedules are affordable for a range of budgets. Keep in mind that the average cost of schooling is the second most-considered data point after rental prices in the places.
#3. Shopping and Groceries
Firstly, Ajman has its share of good malls and shopping centers, but it’s famous for its cultural markets and fish markets. The Ajman city center mall is famous for all types of enthusiasts to spend some time and relax or have fun. One great thing about both locations is that all these markets or malls have utmost priority for cleanliness and are often praised by the customers for that part.
Talking about the shopping experiences in these both places, UAE is popularly the home of fantastic shopping places. If we talk about Sharjah, the Zero 6 Mall in Sharjah is a modern, elegant shopping center with restaurants, a movie theatre, and international brands. There is a good choice of international chain eateries, like Starbucks. You may find a wide variety of items for retail, such as children’s toys, bath and grooming products, and clothing. There are enough stores and activities to keep you busy on a day out, even if it’s not as big as The Dubai Mall.
The local fresh produce market is also very famous in Sharjah and a great place for culinary enthusiasts. Other than that, there are obviously city centers and many other good malls to go shopping.
The second important point to see here is the daily necessities or groceries. When we look at the overall price ranges here, on average the costs of individual grocery necessities are a little higher in Sharjah, when compared to Ajman. Also, the utilities cost in Sharjah would be a little more than Ajman’s, just by a small margin. For utilities, you can consider electricity as a major one.
#4. Healthcare and Benefits
Medical benefits like Health insurance are very important for stable living in any location. Generally, this benefit must be taken from the employer or the company you would be working for. If that is not the case, then you must apply for a personal benefit and acquire it in a win-win situation.
The provision of medical insurance to employees by employers is not required by law in the northern UAE, where Ajman and Sharjah are located. The insurance policies may be altered by the company. The benefits and insurance costs totally vary, depending on the type of plans chosen, eligibility criteria, and so on. But keep in mind that there is a high probability that you might have to apply for a medical benefit on your own if the company doesn’t provide one.
#5. Transportation and Costs
There are 3 most preferred modes to travel within the locations. The first one would be to use your own transport or vehicle. Let’s talk about the petrol prices for private vehicles. The fuel is priced in the exact same range in both locations. This range is from 2.6 AED to 2.8 AED per single liter of petrol.
The next 2 options would be to use public transportation and take monthly passes for them, or to take cabs and taxis. The prices of cabs and even publish transport are generally higher in Sharjah than in Ajman. They are almost higher by a factor of 0.75x.
#6. Accessibility to Dubai
The costs of living in locations are definitely affected by their proximity to Dubai. As it’s the most happening and appealing place in the UAE. Although there isn’t much of a difference between it and Ajman, Sharjah is directly adjacent to Dubai. And it can be reached in half an hour to 45 minutes.
The above data points would be the major factors to consider while choosing between Ajman or Sharjah – which place is better to live in? Although there are many other factors like entertainment, travel spots, etc. These points would facilitate you in choosing what is best.
To conclude, make a note that Sharjah has a higher cost of living than Ajman in general, with factors like education and costs, rental prices, etc; This is because of the proximity and closeness to Dubai. However, even Ajman is a great place to live a little budget-friendly and equally luxurious life. It depends on your needs to see what factors are important to you while choosing the best place to live.
Sharjah is the 3rd largest emirate in the UAE. While Ajman is the smallest of the UAE’s seven emirates. Take a deep dive into these points and analyze whatever suits your needs to answer the question of Ajman or Sharjah – which place is better to live?