How much does it cost to live in Dubai? - Learn more in the DCR blog

Dubai is one of the most luxurious cities in the world.  It keeps taking top positions in various ratings as the richest and most beautiful city.

Many people would like to come to Dubai to feel the marvelous aura and see the excellent sophistication that is characteristic of this wonderful place. The interesting question, however, is how much it costs to live here?  Let's make some calculations together.

Renting a home 

The price range for renting a home in Dubai is extremely wide: from AED 1,500 to AED 15,000 per month which is approximately $ 400 – $ 4,000.  The cheapest apartments are on offer in the Old City, Deira. This is an area with no skyscrapers and other masterpieces of architecture — it's like a usual, average town.

As a rule, Indians and Pakistanis who have come to Dubai to make some money rent apartments here. A few guys would chip in together to collect AED 1,500 ($400) and rent the so-called shared accommodation:  a room with beds and wardrobes, with 2–5 people living in it.

Renting a small studio in this area will cost you some AED 4,000 a month, i. e. about $1,100.   Please note that apartments are rented with no furniture or domestic appliances — you'll have to buy all you need. Accordingly, the closer you get to the city center, the more expensive — and more comfortable — housing gets.

As for short-term rentals and hotels, prices are completely different, too — you can find a room, apartment or hotel for $ 30 a day or you could spend some $ 1,000. On a side note, hotels here are far from being the most expensive in the world — you could even say the prices are quite affordable for a vacation at this level of comfort.

Generally, you could find here an apartment fitting every taste and wallet — it all depends on your personal budget.  You could stay in Dubai for a few days having quite a modest amount in your wallet. If, however, you have enough money, we recommend you to forget about saving money and to go all out. We only live once!

Food

In Dubai, many stores are specifically meant for tourists — with prices a lot higher than in the usual stores frequented by locals. Therefore, if you know where to go you could well keep within budget. If you want to save your money, ask around for stores for locals and go there.

Thus, fresh chicken will cost you AED 16 (about $ 4.5), while frozen chicken will cost you half the price. A kilo of rice or pasta will cost you AED 2 (about $ 0,54).  Fruits and vegetables are more expensive than grains: a kilo of apples of mangos costs AED 8 (about $ 2,2), local vegetables generally also cost about AED 8–10, while imported fruits are more expensive — for instance, papaya costs about AED 100 (about $ 27) per kilo.

Eating out 

The price of a lunch in a coffee shop or a restaurant is just as varied as the accommodation price. Thus, in Deira you could have a hearty meal for AED 15 (about $ 4). You can exchange this amount for a good portion of rice and vegetables, fried chicken and sauce.  It's a nice economy option, right?

A lunch in a pizza parlor would cost you AED 100–200 (about $ 27–54), just like a dinner at an average Dubai restaurant — which is also quite affordable.

Those who are not going to put themselves on a budget in Dubai can visit the most expensive and prestigious restaurants, with no upper price limits for the exquisite dishes on offer. You could spend as much as a few thousand dollars in a single sitting, as the phrase goes.

Entertainment

A vacation wouldn't be complete without fascinating tours! On average, a tour around Dubai will cost you $ 50, except the tour to the famous Burj Khalifa where you can get for AED 500 (about $ 140). However, you won't regret a bit of the things you see there — you could as well go to the expense of it.

A general bus tour around Dubai will cost you about $ 70. It's important to remember though that a single tour won't take you to the Old City as well — it's best to take two separate tours.

Visiting a skating rink will cost you AED 60 (about $ 16), a ski resort — three times as much, i. e. about $ 50.

By the way, you can also entertain yourself free of charge by visiting the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, the public beach or the dancing fountains. A visit to a private beach will cost you about $ 1.5, where you will also be offered an umbrella for another $3–4 and a sun bed for the same price. Additionally, you can find a wide range of drinks for various prices in the local bar.

This is the life in Dubai in brief.  It's all very approximate, of course — each person has their own requirements and vision. Vacationing in Dubai is not an economy option, it's true — but we still recommend coming here, it's really worth it!

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