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Cost of living in Dubai, UAE  

Saturday 13 March 2010 (UAE)   
 
   
      
 

How much does it cost to live in Dubai?
Price guide and comparison 2000-2009 for Dubai living costs
  • Living costs in Dubai - discussion topic where you can agree, disagree, add information, ask questions about what it costs to live in Dubai. See other notes below the table.
Item (prices in AED) 2000 price 2006 price 2008 price 2009 Jan 2009 Mar
Accommodation (room in villa/apartment, monthly)   2000-5000 3000-7000 3000-7000  
Apartment rental (studio, annual rent)     40k-80k 50-90k 40k-80k
Apartment rental (1 bdrm annual rent) 30-40,000 70-90,000 80k-120k 90k-140k 60k-100k
Apartment rental (2 bdrm per year)     100k-150k 120k-180k 75k-140k
Apartment purchase (studio - 2 bdrm)     0.6-2 million    
Bank account (minimum balance per month)     1000-5000 1000-10,000  
Bar / nightclub (1 person, 1 night) 60-250 100-400 100-500 100-500  
Beer (pint) 15 25 30 35  
Beer (crate of 24 cans)     60-130 60-130  
Book - paperback novel     40-80 30-100  
Car purchase (new)     25-200,000    
Car purchase (new Ford Mondeo / Toyota Camry)     60-95,000    
Car purchase (new 4wd Cherokee / Explorer / Prado)     90-155,000    
Car purchase (reliable medium saloon 2nd hand)     30-80,000    
Car purchase (reliable 4wd 2nd hand)     50-100,000    
Car rental (small, one day) 90 100 100 100  
Car tires / tyres (cost for one tyre)     300-2000 300-2000  
Cigarettes (pack/carton), half price for cheap brands 4 / 35 5 / 45 6 / 50 6-7 / 55  
Clothes (per month)     100-2000 100-2000  
Computer purchase (laptop)     2000-10,000 2000-10,000  
Concert / Show / DJ / Sports event ticket     100-1000 100-1000  
Dentist routine check up     100-250 100-250  
Doctor visit (basic consultation, no tests)     100-250 100-250  
Drink - can of soft drink at grocery shop 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00  
DVD rental     10 10  
DVD purchase (pirate) 5-10 5-10 5-10 5-10  
DVD purchase (genuine) 20-80 20-100 25-100 25-100  
Education (see "school fees")          
Eggs (one dozen) 5.00 7.00 9.00 9.00  
Flowers (bunch bought at supermarket)     25-100 25-100  
Furniture (IKEA UAE for 1 bdrm apt)     10-20,000 10-20,000  
Grocery shopping (1 person, per week)     200-600 250-800  
Hamburger (Big Mac) 10.00 12.00 14.00 14.00  
Hotel (Deira dump, per room, 1 night)     200-400 200-400  
Hotel (5 star, double room per night)     700-3000 500-3000  
Hotel (Burj Al Arab, Al Maha, Atlantis 1 night)     4000-15,000 1500-15,000  
Household contents insurance (per year, studio-large villa)     500-10,000 500-10,000  
Internet connection (DSL, monthly)     200-300 200-300  
Jewellery (18-22 carat gold, per gram) 30-40 50-60 80-90 80-90  
Jewellery (thin gold necklace, small gold earrings) 100-200 150-300 200-500 200-500  
Magazine (local / foreign)     3-15 / 25-75 3-15 / 25-75  
Maid / Domestic Help / Servant / Nanny (hourly)     15-30 15-30  
Maid / Servant / Nanny (full time per month)     1000-2000 1000-2000  
Medical / Health Insurance (per month)     200-1000 200-1000  
Milk (one litre) 3.00 9.00 10.00 10.00  
Mobile phone purchase (see "Telephone" for calls)     200-2000 100-2000  
Motorcycle (Harley Davidson, new)     35-100,000    
Motorcycle (Japanese, new)     10-60,000    
Movie / Cinema ticket (standard) 25 25-30 30 30  
Newspaper, daily (local / foreign)     2-3 / 10-20 2-3 / 10-20  
Oil & Filter change, medium size car (not dealer) 80 100 120 120  
Petrol (gallon) 4.00 6.25 6.25 6.25  
PO Box rental (per year)     150-200 150-200  
Postage stamp (standard letter < 20g) 0.50-3.50 0.50-3.50 0.50-3.50 0.50-3.50  
Public Transport (bus or abra trip) 0.50-2.00 0.50-2.00 1.00-4.00 1.00-4.00  
Restaurant (cheap or food court, no alcohol) 10-50 10-50 10-50 10-50  
Restaurant (with alcohol, 1 person) 100-200 150-300 150-400 150-400  
School fees (per year per child) 1k-40k 1k-50 1k-90k 1k-90 1k-90k
Shawarma (chicken or lamb), cheap restaurant 1.50-2.50 2.00-3.00 2.00-3.00 2.00-3.00  
Spirits (Whisky, Gin, Vodka bottle shop purchase)     10-200 10-200  
Taxi Dubai (short to long trip within Dubai)     10-60 10-80  
Telephone calls (mobile, per month)     100-1000 100-1000  
Telephone landline (calls free or cheap within UAE)          
Television (CRT, new)     200-2000 200-2000  
Television (LCD / plasma TV new, 32"-52")     2000-15,000 2000-15,000  
Television (cable / satellite per month)     100-200 100-200  
Utilities (water, power) per month     100-500 100-500  
Villa rental (annual)   100-200,000 150-400,000 200-500,000 90k-400k
Villa purchase     2-10 million 2.5-15 million  
Water (1.5 liter bottle)     1-2 1-2  
Water (5 gallon bottle, delivered)     7-9 7-10  
Wine (house bottle in restaurant) 80 125 150-200 150-250  
Wine (purchase in bottle shop / duty-free)     10-200 10-200  
  • The UAE currency is the United Arab Emirates dirham, divided into 100 fils, and is pegged to the US$ at the rate of US$1 = AED 3.67. The rate varies slightly but not enough to notice in everyday transactions.
  • Cost of living prices given for mid-ranges. Extremely cheap or expensive values (e.g. rickshaws and Bugatti Veyrons) not always included
  • Utility & telephone costs are for average use
  • Assume costs are per person unless otherwise indicated
  • For in-your-head or back-of-an-envelope quick currency conversions, divide values by 4 to get an approximate $US (USD) estimate (correct rate is 3.67 but values below are very approximate mostly anyway)
    • Divide by 3 for $CAN (CAD) Canada
    • Divide by 5 for €Euros (EUR) Europe
    • Divide by 2 or 3 for $AU (AUD) (rate is about 2.6 at start of 2009) Australia
    • Divide by 5 or 6 for £UK (GBP) (rate is about 5.5 at start of 2009) United Kingdom
    • Multiply by 10 or 12 for Indian Rupees (INR) (rate is about 13 at start of 2009)
    • Multiply by 20 for Pakistan Rupees (PKR) (rate is about 21 at start of 2009)
    • Divide by 10 for Oman Riyals (OMR), Bahrain Dinars (BHD)
    • Divide by 10 or 12 for Kuwait Dinars (KWD) (rate is about 13 at start of 2009)
    • No change for Saudi Riyals (SAR), Qatar Riyals (QAR) (rates are close to 1:1)
    • Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait currency units are split into 1000 fils, not 100 fils per unit. Saudi, Qatar, and UAE are 100 fils per unit.
  • Remember these are only indicative cost ranges. Living costs in Dubai vary a great deal depending on lifestyle and preferences.
  • During 2008, property rental and purchase prices soared in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. As 2008 ended, the effects of the global credit crunch contributed to a freezing up of property sales in Dubai, with property prices starting to decline (substantially for some areas). That will probably continue in at least the first half of 2009, and rentals should also decrease.
  • It is common for accommodation rental payments to be requested advance for an entire year. It is less common in 2008 and going into 2009 for tenants to accept that, and more frequent smaller payments are offered and negotiated. Two to four cheques was common in 2008, and going into 2009, it is possible (but still rare) to make 12 monthly payments. In all cases it is still usual to write Post-Dated cheques (PDCs) all in advance.
  • Most goods available in the UAE are imported from the country of manufacture. That means your favorite boerwurst or Marks n Sparks knickers are going to cost more than if you bought them at home. There is also a small amount of Dubai import duty that gets added to most goods. Apart from that there are no other taxes for the most past so some items which are heavily taxed in other countries are much cheaper in Dubai and the UAE (cars, cigarettes for example). Currency exchange rates will also have an effect (both positive and negative). As a very broad generalisation though, expect to pay 20% to 50% more for most goods compared to buying the same locally produced items in your home country.
Last update Wednesday 23-Sep-2009.
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