30 Minutes to Dubai, Affordable Properties and the Coast: Where to Buy or Rent in Sharjah 

Sharjah is one of seven emirates located near Dubai and shares a transport interchange with the city. At the same time, it is cheaper to buy and rent in Sharjah than in its neighbour. Businesspeople, freelancers and employees of Dubai companies often rent in Sharjah to save money and commute to work by taxi or private transport - you can get there in just 30 minutes if there are no traffic jams.

We will tell you which districts are popular among foreigners and take a look at their infrastructure, the types of property available, rent and property prices in effect in 2022.

• Popular Districts to Buy and Rent Properties
• Al Khan, a Coastal Village in Sharjah On the Bay Of the Same Name
• Al Majaz, a District On the Shore Of the Khalid Lagoon
• Hoshi, a New Residential District On the Outskirts of Sharjah
• Al Nahda, a District On the Border With Dubai
• Property Types and Prices
• Who Can Buy or Rent Flats in Sharjah?

Popular Districts to Buy and Rent Properties

Foreign citizens usually choose one of the following four districts to buy or rent properties.

Al Khan, a Coastal Village in Sharjah On the Bay Of the Same Name

Flats are the most common type of property in Al Khan. You will find here anything from studios to large four bedroom flats, with floor areas varying from 85 to 250 square metres. People buy properties not only for personal accommodation, but also for investment purposes. Letting such properties can yield a return of 4%.

There are two large office buildings in this district — the Expo Building and the Style Tower where foreigners can buy workspaces.

Al Khan has a well-developed infrastructure. There are several polyclinics and supermarkets such as New City Center or Safeer Market. In addition, you will find several international kindergartens in the area, including Little Feet, Crown and Canadian Montessori Nursery. The district also has primary and secondary schools like Victoria International School which adheres to the Australian educational system and is known for its natural sciences, technology, mathematics and engineering programmes. The American School of Creative Science is another popular educational institution.

Al Majaz, a District On the Shore Of the Khalid Lagoon

Flats are also the most popular type of property here, ranging in size from 35 to 200 square metres. The district is particularly good for families. You will find everything that you need to spend quality time here together.

Al Majaz consists of three neighbourhoods: Al Majaz 1, Al Majaz 2, and Al Majaz 3. The waterfront Al Majaz 2 neighbourhood is particularly popular among property buyers and tourists owing to its water parks and restaurants. In addition, you can rent retail space ranging in size from 14 to 650 square metres.

In terms of infrastructure, Al Fayez, Metro Manila, Shams Al Buhaira and Al Fatour supermarkets are within walking distance. Another popular spot is Lulu. You will also find international kindergartens (Five Kids, Baby First, Creative Home, and Bluebells) and schools (Al Mazaya Private School, Progressive English School, Persian Gulf School, and International School of Choueifat) in Al Majaz.

Hoshi, a New Residential District On the Outskirts of Sharjah

Hoshi is located near the border with Dubai. You will not be able to buy property in blocks of flats here - the district is packed exclusively with villas that you can buy and rent. 

The villas are well spaced which makes the district quiet, sparsely populated and perfect for families. The villas usually have from three to six bedrooms. All the properties here are new — they have only just started developing the district. 

Currently there are no supermarkets in Hoshi. The nearest Bait Al Marah supermarket is in the next district, which is a ten minute drive away. 

The situation with the rest of the infrastructure is much better. Several primary and secondary schools already operate in the district. For example, Sharjah International School offers British and Arabic programmes. You will also find Al Karain and Fatimah al-Zahra public schools, and Al Wahda Private School. As for healthcare, the nearest hospital is Thumbay. It takes about 13 minutes to get there by car.

Al Nahda, a District On the Border With Dubai

Please do not confuse Al Nahda in Sharjah with the district of the same name in Dubai. They are both located in the border area between the two emirates. As a result, the district is popular with freelancers and the employees of Dubai companies. It is more convenient and cheaper for people to live in Sharjah and travel to Dubai for work or leisure.

In Al Nahda, you can buy a property in one of the major skyscrapers, with flats and studios particularly popular, ranging in size from 55 to 120 square metres.

You can also rent commercial real estate — offices and shops with an area from 60 to 1100 sq. m.

Unlike the rest of Sharjah, each residential complex in Al Nahda has parking facilities. So you will have no problem finding a place to park your car. The district also has public transport. Bus routes run to the nearest metro station in Dubai.

The district also has plenty of shops and supermarkets – they are located within walking distance from any of the residential buildings. Al Maya and a Pakistani supermarket are the most popular.

Al Nahda is known to have the best schools. Parents can send their children to Little Wonders Nursery or Kids World Al Nahda, as well as Victoria International School and Eaton Business School.

Residents also have access to three medical centres (Al Deyafa, Bristol, and Reem Al Nahdha Diagnostic).

Property Types and Prices

Property rental and purchase prices depend on the district in Sharjah and the size of the property. We present here average prices in 2022:

Who Can Buy or Rent Flats in Sharjah?

All the residents of the emirate can rent here regardless of citizenship. However, in some instances it can be complicated to buy a property here.

Historically, foreigners were not allowed to purchase properties in Sharjah. They could only acquire the right to use properties for 99 years. However, on 2 November 2022 amendments were introduced to Law No. 5 of 2010 on registration of real estate in the Emirate of Sharjah.

Now foreigners who are not UAE citizens can:

• buy title a property in some districts toto full ownership (the full list has not been published yet but Hoshi, Al Majaz, Al Nahda, and Al-Khan have already been included,
• bequeath a property based on a court ruling,
• transfer title to a property to a close relative.

In a Nutshell

Sharjah is the third largest emirate with good infrastructure and a large number of international educational institutions, and is developing at breakneck pace. Properties here are cheaper than in Dubai and the neighbouring emirate is only a 20 to 30 minutes away by car. The Sharjah law allows foreigners to buy and rent or let properties, which makes the emirate a good place for investments and permanent residence for both single freelancers and families.

Cover photo: Mueed Ahmed