26.08.2025
869
Save the article:
What's it about? In Sharjah, malls are located on almost every corner. They feature various shops selling electronics, clothing and footwear, toys, fur coats, and gold. The prices will pleasantly surprise those who have already been shopping in Dubai, as they are significantly lower.
What to consider? If shopping centres aren't enough for your shopping needs, you can head to a market. Sharjah has many of these as well, with the most famous being the Gold, Fish, and Blue markets. By bargaining there, you can reduce the prices by up to 50% off the initial cost.
In the UAE, shopping centres are called malls, and Sharjah has a lot of them. Unlike Dubai, the cost of goods and services in Sharjah malls is lower while maintaining a fairly extensive assortment.
Tourists give different assessments of service quality. Some malls receive praise, and travellers enjoy shopping in them. Other shopping centres are less popular.
In central Sharjah, there are malls that offer shoppers a wide selection of locally produced clothing. The price of such goods may even exceed analogues from well-known brands. However, souvenir products, including gel candles with sand and famous perfumes with oil from agarwood, cost much less than in the capital.
It should be remembered that almost all the best malls in Sharjah artificially maintain a refreshing coolness, so before going to shopping centres, you make sure you have warm clothes, especially if you are taking children with you.
Tip: before shopping in Dubai, you should carefully familiarise yourself with the range and cost of goods in Sharjah malls. Walk around the shopping centres, check the prices. There have been cases when travellers who bought a fur coat (or other expensive item) in Dubai subsequently discovered exactly the same one in Sharjah, but at a lower price.
We present to your attention a selection of Sharjah shopping centres, which represents a kind of rating compiled based on reviews from many tourists.
This Sharjah mall is considered not only one of the most visited shopping centres in the UAE but also holds an honourable place in the list of local landmarks recommended for visiting. The structure is crowned with a tent-shaped dome.
The complex houses over 200 shops. The largest ones are Debenhams and Marks & Spencer. There shoppers can purchase not only clothing and footwear from the most famous manufacturers but also everyday goods and cosmetics.
For tourists travelling with children, from the extensive list of mall shops, they should choose Toys “R” Us for shopping, where amazing toys await the child. In other retail outlets of the centre, you can buy electronics, household appliances, jewellery, books, etc.
The car park with convenient access for 1,800 vehicles is located on the lower level.
The centre has several restaurants, cafes, and more than 30 fast-food outlets. At Sahara Centre, you can not only purchase necessary items and souvenirs but also have an excellent rest. The entertainment complex includes: a mini water park, a cinema with six modern halls, and an attractions centre.
Location: Al Nahda St. Near Ramada Sharjah.
This complex is built on the central Al Wahda Street. In City Centre Sharjah's shops, which number more than 100, you can buy branded outfits from New Look, H&M and Borders, and delight young tourists with various toys.
The range of goods is very extensive: from furniture to souvenir trinkets. Visitors to the shopping centre can have a snack in a cosy atmosphere. More than 20 restaurants offering exquisite cuisine for any taste are at their service. On the second floor of the complex, there is a huge hypermarket and the Magic Planet children's entertainment centre.
How to find it: Al Wahda Road, Industrial Area 1.
This shopping centre needs no introduction as practically all tourists planning a trip to the UAE know about it. Sharjah Mega Mall shops occupy about 800,000 square metres across four floors. It will take a lot of time just to go to every retail outlet.
The range of goods is truly enormous. You can buy almost everything there. The food court features 15 restaurants. For entertainment, there is a centre with a cinema and the Antic's Land complex. Mega Mall's target audience is middle-class consumers. But there are also elite expensive boutiques located there.
Address: Istiqlal Street, Al Bu Daniq, Near Immigration Office.
In terms of product variety and service level, this mall can compete even with shopping centres located in Dubai. In this complex, tourists can purchase clothing and footwear, household and computer equipment, children's toys, and much more.
This Sharjah mall also has an entertainment programme, featuring a complex with a children's playground and a modern cinema. You can rest and have a snack in cosy restaurants and cafes. A special feature of the shopping centre is that it has its own hotel.
Address: Buheira Corniche Road, Sharjah.
This mall is located not in Sharjah itself, but at some distance on the highway to Dubai. The shopping centre's stores are oriented towards tourists making relatively inexpensive purchases. There are retail outlets offering buyers budget models of electronics, furniture, clothing, etc. Upstairs is the wonderful Space City entertainment centre, which has fantastic space-themed interiors.
In addition to the impressive list of shops found in Sharjah malls, the UAE has many bazaars that you simply must visit to enjoy the Oriental atmosphere.
Various goods are traded there. Most of the assortment is represented by original gold jewellery. In addition to traditional jewellery, you can find quite exotic items for sale.
For example, real chainmail and armour made of yellow gold. There are also rows where traders will offer clothing, footwear, and various accessories. This part of the market is located near Khor Khalid bay. As twilight falls, travellers can enjoy a colourful laser show.
Location: King Faisal St, Sharjah 61191.
It's very pleasant to take morning walks through this bazaar due to its convenient location. The trading rows stand directly on the shore. The spacious rectangular building is crowned with two spherical domes.
There you can observe the usual Eastern hustle and bustle, as traders lay out fresh catches, loudly conversing with fishermen and buyers. Fish and seafood lovers will find their favourite delicacies. The assortment is impressive: from shark meat to the most tender langoustines.
Location: Al Jubail St, Sharjah.
Along with popular malls, this facility is often marked on Sharjah tourist maps. The bazaar bears the unofficial name of “wagons” as it has a curious and non-standard architecture.
The trading centre itself is divided into separate quarters. For example, the section oriented towards the lagoon shore is famous for its great variety of gold and precious stone products. There you can also buy famous handmade Arabian carpets. In another section (opposite the royal mosque), souvenirs, furniture, clothing, footwear, etc. are presented.
Location: Al Majaz 1 King Faisal St.
Experienced travellers share in their reviews how to get from Dubai to Sharjah to visit the malls there and save a bit of money. The following recommendations are based on their advice:
In large supermarkets like Coppins Supermarket, Shams Al Maleha Supermarket, and Sharjah Cooperative Society it is more advantageous to purchase most goods, including groceries. Carrefour offers excellent household appliances, electronics, souvenirs, etc. The chain store Sharjah Cooperative Society always has fresh pastries, fruits, and Oriental sweets in a large assortment. The prices will pleasantly surprise the travellers.
In accordance with religious prescriptions, the working hours of all shopping centres are strictly regulated. They open at 9 AM and close at 10 PM. Small shops, which are quite numerous on the city streets, may operate with lunch breaks (most often from 2 PM to 4 PM). Some malls work until 11 PM on weekends. In the first half of the day on Fridays, all institutions in the country are closed. When the holy month of Ramadan arrives, all shops selling groceries open at 6 PM and work until midnight.
On average, the trip will cost 90–130 dirhams (UAE national currency). US dollars are exchanged at a more favourable rate than rubles or euros. As Russian bank cards are not supported in the Emirates, it is recommended to have a certain amount of cash on hand.
Local residents love and know how to bargain. The conversation between seller and buyer is a kind of art. Therefore, by spending half an hour on negotiations, you can reduce the price of an item you like by 20–30%. Supermarkets often hold various promotions. Read the announcements carefully.
You should not attempt to export more than 5 kg of animal products (meat, fish, seafood, sausages, camel milk) and 5 kg of fruits (dried fruits) and vegetables per traveller. It is also advisable to keep receipts for all types of jewellery, electronics, fur and carpets. This way you will avoid problems when passing through customs control. Naturally, you cannot export cultural and historical valuables. If you are carrying currency in an amount exceeding 60,000 dirhams, you must fill out a declaration.
The assortment of such Arabian duty-free points is practically identical to duty-free shops located in other cities and oriented towards tourists with average income: cosmetics, perfumes, clothing, footwear, accessories, and food. Don't expect to find luxury boutiques at the airport.
Almost all tourist information sources claim that the largest shopping centre in this emirate is Sahara Centre. This mall has a children's entertainment centre, Grand Sahara Cinemas with six halls, restaurants, etc.
Many shops are concentrated on Al Wahda Street. Moreover, it houses both large centres and small shops selling items from last year's collections at very attractive prices.
The largest auto centre in the Emirate is located in the Abu Shagara district. There you can purchase used cars in good condition, as well as spare parts for them.
Don't think that malls in Sharjah are no different from shops in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. This emirate has its own atmosphere, and shopping is somewhat different with its measured and thorough approach.
