Qurbani Share Cost 2026: Country-by-Country Pricing

A Qurbani share in 2026 can cost anywhere from £45 in Yemen to £220 for a whole sheep at a UK abattoir. Same religious obligation, very different price. The reasons are straightforward: livestock economics, transport costs, distribution complexity, and what the donor actually receives. This piece walks through what each share buys in each country so you can match price to intention.

There isn't one right answer.

2026 share prices at a glance

The numbers below are a composite of 2026 published rates from established UK Muslim charities (Islamic Relief, Muslim Hands, Muslim Aid, Penny Appeal) and platform-specific pricing on AmalQ. Final prices on any one platform may shift slightly between March and June 2026 because of GBP exchange rate moves and last-mile logistics costs.

Camel shares are similar in price to cow shares per portion, though only the largest charities offer them. They're typically distributed in Sudan and the Gulf and run £325 - £475 for a whole 7-share camel.

What the price actually buys, country by country

Yemen: £45 to £55 per share

A £50 Yemen Qurbani share funds a healthy goat or sheep, slaughtered according to Islamic dhabihah by a local team, and distributed to between 30 and 50 people across 6 to 12 displaced or food-insecure families. Yemen has been classified as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises since 2015. For many families, the Qurbani meat is the only red meat they eat all year. Photo verification is harder here than in Pakistan because of access constraints in some governorates, and certificates may take 7 to 10 days to issue post-Eid.

Somalia: £45 to £60 per share

Somalia pricing is similar to Yemen, with comparable on-the-ground impact. The distribution networks are mature; Somali charities have been delivering Qurbani at scale for over a decade. Recipients are often pastoralist families in drought-affected regions or internally displaced families in the south. Per-share photos are usually available within 5 days of Eid.

Sudan: £55 to £70 per share

Sudan prices have risen since 2023 due to the ongoing conflict and currency collapse. A £65 share funds a sheep or goat distributed to families displaced by the conflict, often in Darfur, Khartoum state, or Eastern Sudan. Many established charities pulled out in 2024 because of access problems; the ones still delivering have small, resilient teams and slower communication. Expect proof to arrive 7 to 14 days post-Eid.

Pakistan: £75 to £125 per share

Pakistan is the most popular destination for UK Qurbani because the supply chain is mature, prices are stable, and proof of delivery is reliable. A £85 cow share at AmalQ funds 1/7 of a healthy buffalo or cow, slaughtered on day 10 or 11 of Dhul Hijjah at a partner facility, and distributed to between 25 and 40 people across 6 to 9 families in Sindh, Punjab, or KPK. Photos and certificates land within 3 to 5 days of Eid for almost every order.

Bangladesh: £75 to £120 per share

Bangladesh pricing is similar to Pakistan with a slight premium for the cow share. Distribution networks are strongest in Dhaka, Chattogram, and rural Sylhet. The seasonal flooding pattern in July-August means Qurbani timing matters: distribution windows are tight, and providers need to deliver fresh meat before storage becomes a problem.

Sri Lanka: £85 to £130 per share

Sri Lanka has a smaller but growing Qurbani channel for UK donors who want to support the Muslim minority on the island. Pricing is slightly higher than Pakistan because of smaller-scale logistics, and distribution focuses on Eastern Province communities and tea-estate workers in the central highlands.

Turkey / Syria border: £165 to £210 per share

Pricing here reflects access difficulty rather than livestock cost. Charities operating along the Turkey-Syria border distribute to displaced Syrian families inside Idlib and northern Aleppo. The premium covers cross-border logistics, security overheads, and the distribution effort. If you specifically want your Qurbani to reach Syrians, this is the channel that does it.

UK abattoir: £170 to £220 per share

A UK Qurbani share funds a whole sheep at an FSA-approved abattoir following Islamic dhabihah. The donor (or someone they nominate) collects the meat afterwards, butchered into joints. The price is high because UK labour rates, abattoir slot fees, and FSA inspections cost real money. This option only makes sense if you want meat for your own household or extended family in the UK; the impact-per-pound is dramatically lower than overseas distribution.

Cost vs impact: a worked example

Suppose you have £170 to spend on Qurbani. Here are three ways to deploy it.

• One UK sheep at £170: feeds your household and possibly extended UK relatives. Impact: 1 family. Per-person cost: £42.
• One Pakistani cow share at £85, plus one Yemen sheep at £50, plus £35 to AmalQ overheads: feeds 30 + 35 = 65 people across 12 to 18 families overseas.
• Two Bangladeshi cow shares at £75 each, plus £20 to a partner overhead: feeds 50 to 60 people across two distribution districts in Dhaka and Sylhet.
• Three Yemen sheep at £55 each: feeds 100+ people across 18 to 30 displaced or food-insecure families.

All three are valid. The first satisfies the Qurbani obligation and gives your family a meaningful Eid table. The third multiplies the impact-per-pound but you don't see or eat the meat. Most donors do a blend: at least one share they intend for impact (often Yemen, Somalia, or Sudan) and any additional shares allocated where the practical priorities sit.

Why prices vary year to year

Five factors push Qurbani prices up or down in any given year.

1. Local livestock supply. Drought, disease outbreaks (foot-and-mouth, lumpy skin), and feed cost spikes all push livestock prices higher. Pakistan saw a 15% jump in 2023 after a poor monsoon.
2. Currency exchange rates. A weaker GBP against the USD or PKR raises the GBP cost of the same animal. The 2022-2023 GBP slide added £5 to £10 per Pakistani cow share for UK donors.
3. Fuel and transport. 2022 fuel price spikes added several pounds to the per-share cost in countries where livestock has to be moved between regions.
4. Labour costs. UK abattoir labour rates have risen 18% since 2021. This is the single biggest reason UK Qurbani share prices keep climbing.
5. Demand. Limited certified halal-Qurbani slaughter capacity, especially at large scale in countries like Sudan or Yemen, means demand can outpace supply if many donors order late.

Prices on AmalQ are locked at the time of order, so you pay what's quoted even if rates shift before Eid. Charities vary on this; check whether your provider locks pricing or charges based on Eid-day costs.

Hidden costs to watch for

Three things can inflate your real cost above the headline share price.

First, payment processing fees. Some platforms charge 2.9% + 30p per transaction; others absorb it. On a £75 share, that's £2.50 you didn't expect. Second, optional admin fees. A few charities ask donors to add a 5-10% admin top-up at checkout to cover overheads not funded by the share price. This is an honest disclosure, but worth budgeting for. Third, exchange-rate margins on cards: some UK debit and credit cards apply a 2.75% non-sterling transaction fee even on a GBP-denominated charge if the merchant routes through a non-UK acquirer. Pay with a card that doesn't have a foreign transaction fee where possible.

How AmalQ structures Qurbani pricing

We publish the full per-share breakdown for every country we cover. The price you see at checkout is the full price; we don't add admin fees at the end, and we don't charge donors the payment processing fee separately. The split for a typical £85 Pakistani cow share looks like this.

This breakdown holds across most overseas countries with small variations. UK abattoir shares look very different (much higher labour and slot-fee components, much lower distribution costs) and we publish a separate breakdown for those.

We've found donors trust the price more when they can see what each pound funds. Charities that hide the breakdown sometimes do so for good reasons (commercial sensitivity with partners) and sometimes because the picture isn't flattering. Ask before you pay.

Frequently asked questions

Why is UK Qurbani so much more expensive than Pakistan?

UK abattoir Qurbani costs £170 to £220 per share because of UK labour rates, abattoir slot fees, FSA inspection costs, and the cost of UK livestock. A Pakistani sheep or cow share costs less because the livestock is cheaper, labour rates are lower, and overseas distribution feeds many more people per pound spent.

What's the cheapest country for Qurbani in 2026?

Yemen and Somalia consistently offer the lowest 2026 prices, from £45 to £60 per sheep or goat share. The lower price reflects local livestock economics. The impact-per-pound is also high because recipients are typically displaced or food-insecure families who would otherwise eat very little red meat all year.

Is the cheapest Qurbani always the best choice?

Not necessarily. Cheap Qurbani in unstable regions (Yemen, Sudan) often comes with weaker proof-of-delivery: no individual photo, longer wait for certificates, less detailed recipient information. If documentation matters to you, Pakistan and Bangladesh offer a stronger trail at slightly higher cost. The right answer depends on whether you prioritise impact or verifiability.

How is the Qurbani price calculated?

Most platforms set their price by adding the in-country livestock cost, slaughter and butchering charges, distribution logistics (transport, packaging), verification (photos and certificates), and a platform overhead. Currency exchange rates affect the GBP figure. Reliable platforms publish this breakdown; AmalQ does so for every country we operate in.

Are payment processing fees included in the Qurbani price?

On AmalQ, yes. The price at checkout is what you pay, and we absorb card processing fees in our overhead. Some charities charge processing as a separate line item or ask for an optional admin top-up at the end. Always check the final total before submitting payment.

Will the Qurbani price change between when I order and when Eid happens?

On AmalQ, the price is locked when you place the order. Some charities reserve the right to adjust if exchange rates or livestock prices move significantly between the order and Eid; check the terms before paying. Booking earlier in Dhul Hijjah usually means a lower locked price.

Is a £45 Qurbani share religiously valid?

Yes, provided the share funds a real animal slaughtered on the correct day according to Islamic dhabihah, with the right intention (niyyah). The religious validity is independent of the price; what matters is that the share corresponds to a qualifying animal, not how cheaply it was sourced. The Qurbani is valid even when the donor never sees the animal.

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