The cost of living in any part of the world entirely depends on your choices, lifestyle, and preferences. Dubai is a luxurious, beautiful, vivacious, and fast-growing city. It attracts the attention of millions across the globe for its architectural marvels, numerous sightseeing opportunities, world-class lifestyle, and safe environment. It is a popular area where many people can live, from singles to couples and families. Dubai can offer you a cost-effective or luxurious lifestyle. Here, we will discuss the monthly expenses and the cost of living in Dubai.
We will also present a subtle comparison of the cost of living in Dubai vs Abu Dhabi concerning housing, utilities, food, school, and more! So, whether you plan to open a business in Dubai or apply for a job there, it is essential that you know the average and estimated cost of living in Dubai. Read on to explore the details!
Typical Monthly Expenses in Dubai
The monthly cost of living in Dubai depends on essential expenditures like groceries, housing, education, food, healthcare, and transportation. According to Mercer’s annual Cost of Living Survey for 2021, Dubai ranks 42nd. However, Dubai is making relevant changes to its regulations, especially post-pandemic, to undermine these monthly expenses in Dubai. For a single entity or a family of four, here is an estimate of the cost of living in Dubai in 2022:
-
- Single Person AED – Approximately 3,477.89 (USD 946,88)
- Family of Four AED – Approximately 11,958.62 (USD 3 255.83)
-
Cost of Accommodation in Dubai
Tracing the average cost of living in Dubai, housing costs are one of the most important expenses. Housing costs depend on what kind of property you live in – owned or rented, and the preferred area of residence. Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), Old Dubai, and Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) are some of Dubai’s most sought-after residential developments, especially for expats. Dubai’s real estate market is available for different budgets, from luxurious villas to comfortable and suave studios.
Rent is higher in wealthy areas like Barsha, Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, and Arabian Ranches. Still, rent-savvy residents can look for budget-friendly accommodation at Dubai Silicon Oasis, Al Nahda, Reem, and Mirdif.
-
Housing
Some of the typical housing rental options in Dubai are:
| Type of Apartment | Approximate Cost of Rent per month |
| City Centre Apartment (1 bedroom) | AED 5,141.89 (USD 1 399.92) |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) | AED 3,281.72 (USD 893.47) |
| City Centre Apartment (3 bedrooms) | AED 9,766.53 (USD 2 659.01) |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) | AED 6,792.74 (USD 1 849.38) |
-
Groceries
The cost for groceries depends on the place from where you shop. You can shop for expensive and luxurious at Waitrose or Spinneys or you could shop for groceries at competitive budget-friendly supermarkets like Lulu Hypermarket, Carrefour, or Union Cooperative. Don’t miss out on purchasing groceries available at decent discounts and offers.
-
Other Utilities
The cost of utility includes electricity, water connection (undertaken by DEWA), TV, mobile expenses, and internet charges. The electricity bill wobbles from summer to winter. Your monthly TV and internet plans can cost approximately AED 389 per month and can even go up to AED 1000 or more per month if you opt for premium services. Mobile monthly expenses in Dubai can vary from AED 125 per month to AED 500.
-
Cost of Transportation in Dubai
People generally prefer to drive their cars as fuel prices are cheaper in Dubai. Public transport is also a preferred way of commuting in the city. However, the cost of car servicing and insurance could be high, depending on the kind of car you own, which affects your overall monthly expenses in Dubai. You also have to travel to commute by ferries, cabs, public buses, and the metro. An NoI public transport card can cover all important city zones and comes at around AED 350.
-
Cost of Schooling in Dubai
In Dubai, you can choose from the British, American, Indian, or IB curriculum for your children’s education. The top schools are expensive, with school fees ranging between AED 4,000 – AED 9,500. The Indian schools are comparatively more affordable, with a monthly expense of approximately AED 2,800 – AED 5,200. This school fee excludes the cost of school transport, trips, stationery and books, uniforms, etc.
-
Cost of Health Insurance in Dubai
It is mandatory to get health insurance. You may have to purchase it if your employer has not provided it for you. Local people in Dubai can avail of these medical services for free, while ex-pats can be eligible for 50% if they have a health card.
The fees for Health Card is as follows :
-
- Expatriate Fee up to 10 years – AED 120 (USD 32.67) and from 18 and above – AED 320 (USD 87.12)
- Nationals Fee up to 10 years – AED 25 (USD 6.81) and from 18 and above – AED 120 (USD 32.67)
The lower-income employees or non-working residents in Dubai can also get an Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) launched in 2014. This is a great way to get access to the minimum level of health insurance. The charges are:
-
- Employees : AED 650-725
- Dependents (aged 0-65) : AED 650
- Non-working married females (aged 18-45) : AED 1,600
- Elderly parents : AED 2,500
- General domestic help : AED 650
Medical insurance premiums start from AED 600 per year and can go up to AED 5,500 per year for a comprehensive plan. For a family of four, it can range from AED 15,000 – AED 20,000 and go as high as AED 70,000 with all comprehensive medical card benefits.
-
Cost of Food and Clothing in Dubai
Food and clothing are not very expensive items in Dubai. The expense is entirely based on the choice and needs of the people living in Dubai. Normally, people don’t like to splurge on eating out or wearing expensive clothes. So, this cost is an individual choice and depends from person to person.
-
Cost of Entertainment in Dubai
There are hundreds of things that you can do in Dubai. You can go for some window-shopping at one of its grand malls, visit fine-dining restaurants, catch a movie at IMAX cinemas, go for adventurous extreme sports, or spend some time with your friends or family at Dubai’s world-famous tourist attractions. The cost for each zone of entertainment is different.
-
Cost of Househelp in Dubai
You can sponsor house help which can cost you around AED 5,500 per annum, along with an extra charge of AED 2,000 refundable deposit to GDRFA. The monthly salary of the house help ranges between AED 1,500 – AED 3,500. You will have to offer full-time maid insurance, food, and accommodation. You can also hire part-time help from maid service agencies in Dubai, who have approximate hourly rates of AED 30 – AED 45 on average.
Cost of Living in Dubai UAE per Month
Let us look at some of the costs that have been discussed above, after which we can bifurcate the cost of living in Dubai for singles, couples, and families:
Grocery Items :
| Grocery Item | Approximate Cost |
| Milk (1 litre) | AED 5.80 |
| Loaf of White Bread | AED 4.83 |
| White Rice (1 kg) | AED 6.87 |
| Eggs (12, Regular) | AED 10.65 |
| Cheese (200 g) | AED 8.40 |
| Chicken Breast (1 kg) | AED 27.72 |
| Apples (1 kg) | AED 8.33 |
| Bananas (1 kg) | AED 6.76 |
| Oranges (1 kg) | AED 6.42 |
| Tomatoes (1 kg) | AED 6.37 |
| Potatoes (1 kg) | AED 3.76 |
| Onion (1 kg) | AED 3.15 |
| Lettuce (1 head) | AED 6.67 |
| Jam (370 g) | AED 13.35 |
Cost of Utilities :
| Utility | Cost |
| Basic Utilities for 900 sq. ft Apartment (Electricity, Water, Cooling & Garbage) | AED 607.96 |
| Basic Internet and TV package | AED 389 per month |
| Premium Internet and TV package | AED 1,139+ per month |
| Basic Mobile Postpaid Plan | AED 125 per month |
| Premium Mobile Postpaid Plan | AED 500+ per month |
Cost of Transportation :
| Transport Service/Product | Cost |
| Petrol (1 litre) | AED 2.16 – AED 2.04 |
| Nol Card | AED 350 per month |
| Taxi Fare for 1km | AED 2 |
Cost of School Education :
| SCHOOL | CURRICULUM | FEE RANGE | TUITION FEES PER MONTH |
| GEMS Wellington International School | British | Expensive | AED 5,534 |
| The Winchester School | British | Affordable | AED 1,843 |
| GEMS Modern Academy | Indian | Expensive | AED 4,453 |
| The Millennium School | Indian | Affordable | AED 2,236 |
| Dubai American Academy | American | Expensive | AED 8,626 |
| International School of Arts & Sciences | American | Affordable | AED 2,825 |
| GEMS World Academy | International Baccalaureate | Expensive | AED 9,465 |
| Dubai International Academy, Emirates Hills | International Baccalaureate | Mid-Range | AED 5,283 |
Cost of Entertainment :
| Entertainment | Approximate Cost |
| Single Movie Ticket | AED 40 |
| Gym Membership for 1 Month | AED 297.57 |
| Meal for One (Affordable) | AED 30 |
| Meal for Two (Mid-range) | AED 250 – AED 300 |
| Meal for Two (Fine-Dining) | AED 500 – AED 1,000 |
Average Cost of Living In Dubai For Singles
| Type of Expense | Average Cost (per month) |
| Housing | Studios: AED 2,583 – AED 4,166 |
| Groceries | AED 480 |
| Utilities | AED 750 – AED 1k |
| Total | AED 3k – AED 5k |
Average Cost of Living in Dubai for Couples
| Type of Expense | Average Cost (per month) |
| Housing | 1 BHK Apt: AED 3,166 – AED 6,250 |
| Groceries | AED 960 |
| Utilities | AED 1k – AED 1.4k |
| Total | AED 4.5k – AED 9k |
Average Cost of Living in Dubai for a Family of Four
| Type of Expense | Average Cost (per month) |
| Housing | 3 BHK Villa: AED 8,750 – AED 11,666 |
| Groceries | AED 1920 |
| Utilities | AED 2k – AED 3.5k |
| Total | AED 12k – AED 18k |
Cost of Living in Dubai vs Abu Dhabi
Consumer Prices for people in Dubai are 18.96% higher than in Abu Dhabi (without rent) and 14.90 higher with rent. Rent in Dubai is 9.00% higher, along with restaurant prices which are 34.68% higher than in Abu Dhabi. Groceries in Dubai are 5.98% higher than in Abu Dhabi. The purchasing power is also 13.31% higher in Dubai than in Abu Dhabi.
Let’s take a look at the comparison of the approximate ‘cost of living in Dubai vs Abu Dhabi:
| Restaurants | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| Meal at a Regular Restaurant | 30.00 AED | 45.00 AED |
| Meal for 2 People | 200.00 AED | 300.00 AED |
| Coffee | 17.61 AED | 19.57 AED |
| Coke/Pepsi | 3.11 AED | 4.57 AED |
| Water | 1.10 AED | 2.37 AED |
| Markets | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| Milk | 6.30 AED | 6.65 AED |
| White Bread | 4.74 AED | 5.43 AED |
| KG Rice (white) | 6.76 AED | 7.26 AED |
| 12 Eggs | 10.15 AED | 11.81 AED |
| Local Cheese | 33.76 AED | 35.60 AED |
| Chicken Fillets | 28.06 AED | 29.80 AED |
| Beef Round | 41.02 AED | 38.18 AED |
| Apples | 7.92 AED | 8.07 AED |
| Banana | 6.22 AED | 6.68 AED |
| Oranges | 6.27 AED | 6.59 AED |
| Tomato | 5.09 AED | 5.84 AED |
| Potato | 3.76 AED | 4.03 AED |
| Onion | 3.48 AED | 3.34 AED |
| Lettuce | 4.83 AED | 5.92 AED |
| Bottle of Wine | 60.00 AED | 60.00 AED |
| Domestic Beer | 11.28 AED | 12.27 AED |
| Imported Beer | 13.00 AED | 23.26 AED |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack | 22.00 AED | 22.50 AED |
| Transportation | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| One-way Ticket | 2.00 AED | 6.00 AED |
| Monthly Pass | 80.00 AED | 350.00 AED |
| Taxi | 12.00 AED | 12.00 AED |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 3.96 AED | 4.10 AED |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 90,000.00 AED | 97,500.00 AED |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 75,266.67 AED | 77,702.67 AED |
| Utilities (Monthly) | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| Basic for 85m2 Apartment | 540.80 AED | 683.48 AED |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | 0.58 AED | 0.58 AED |
| Internet | 377.37 AED | 359.02 AED |
| Sports And Leisure | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| Fitness Club | 249.14 AED | 277.69 AED |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 120.00 AED | 139.58 AED |
| Cinema – 1 Seat | 45.00 AED | 47.00 AED |
| Childcare | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 2,134.13 AED | 2,731.01 AED |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 34,118.75 AED | 42,616.67 AED |
| Clothing And Shoes | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| 1 Pair of Jeans | 179.52 AED | 240.92 AED |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Shopping Store | 150.74 AED | 206.71 AED |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes | 308.63 AED | 312.12 AED |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 308.09 AED | 324.74 AED |
| Rent Per Month | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| City Centre Apartment (1 bedroom) | 5,874.04 AED | 6,481.95 AED |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) | 3,859.34 AED | 3,741.10 AED |
| City Centre Apartment (3 bedrooms) | 9,262.10 AED | 11,293.17 AED |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) | 7,233.20 AED | 7,071.70 AED |
| Buy Apartment Price | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| Price per Square Metre to Purchase an Apartment in City Centre | 11,881.07 AED | 13,772.86 AED |
| Price per Square Metre to Purchase an Apartment Outside of Centre | 10,441.61 AED | 8,730.00 AED |
| Salaries And Financing | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 12,507.79 AED | 16,284.24 AED |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 4.27 | 3.89 |
In Conclusion
Living in Dubai is a dream for many, but several people have questions regarding the monthly expenses in Dubai. This article was all about a generic and estimated cost of living in Dubai in 2022 which will give you an approximate idea of how you can financially manage your stay in Dubai.
You can discover more by speaking to the professionals about the accurate costs, but at the end of the day financial liabilities and the cost of living in Dubai entirely depends on your choice and needs.
Some more Useful Articles for You :
| Buy Property in Dubai | Property for Sale in Dubai |
| Buy an Apartment in Dubai | Apartments for Sale in Dubai |
| Rental Properties in Dubai | Properties for Rent in Dubai |
| Rental Apartment in Dubai | Apartment for Rent in Dubai |
| Top Communities in Dubai To Rent a Luxury Villa | luxury villa for rent in Dubai |
| Move To UAE’s Popular Emirate, Dubai | Moving to Dubai 2022 |
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
Do you need to learn Arabic in Dubai?
It is not mandatory to learn Arabic in Dubai, but knowing the language has several advantages. You learn about UAE's culture and it becomes easy for you to interact and communicate with the locals, ensuring a better living experience in the country.
Is it too hot in Dubai, UAE?
It can get scorching hot in Dubai, where the average daytime temperatures can reach 40°C and climb to 43°C - 48°C in the peak summer months (April to September.)
What is the average cost of living in Dubai?
The average cost of living in Dubai for a single person without rent is approximately AED 3,477.89 or USD 946,88, and for a family of four, it is approximately AED 11,958.62 or USD 3 255.83.
What things are expensive in Dubai?
Some of the most expensive things to buy in Dubai are cars, gold, hotel stays, clothes, etc.
What things are cheap in Dubai?
Some of the most reasonable things you can buy in Dubai are chocolates, Dubai Dates, Coffee, Attar, Gold, etc.
How easy or hard is it to obtain a driving license in Dubai?
You need to take classes to pass the Dubai driving licence test. The process is easy but quite vigilant and rigorous. If you cannot clear the test on the first attempt, you would have to undertake 7 additional extensive training sessions before you can appear for the Dubai driving test again. You will need to log a traffic file at Dubai’s registered driving centre along with your Emirates ID, passport, photographs, NOC, and eye test report.
