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COSTS IN DUBAI, SHOPPING IN DUBAI, DUBAI TRAVEL, COST OF FOOD Updated for 2024

Updated: March 13, 2024

COSTS IN DUBAI, SHOPPING IN DUBAI, DUBAI TRAVEL, COST OF FOOD, CAREFFOUR DUBAI, Whether you’re retiring, temporarily relocating or moving to Dubai for good, it’s helpful to have a picture of what life there will cost as an expat. The standard of living in Dubai is very high. In fact, the opportunity to live well in an interesting place is exactly why many foreigners go there. But this doesn’t come cheap.

Dubai has been dubbed the most expensive city in the world for tourists to visit, but what are the costs to actually live there as an expat?

How expensive is Dubai in comparison to the UK, the EU, the USA and Australia?
The official currency in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates is the dirham (written as AED – Arab Emirate Dirham – on currency exchanges).

You can find out the exact value of your money in AED, using an online currency converter – but here’s a rough guide:

1000 USD = 3,673 AED
1000 GBP = 4,692 AED
1000 EUR = 4,105 AED
1000 AUD = 2,794 AED
Comparing basic cost of living One bedroom flat in city centre (monthly rent) Lunch for two (Three courses, mid range restaurant) Transportation (monthly pass)
Dubai 7,324 AED 150 AED 250 AED
London, UK 7,847 AED 255 AED 607 AED
New York City, USA 10,938 AED 275 AED 430 AED
Berlin, Germany 3,023 AED 164 AED 331 AED
Sydney, Australia 7,187 AED 222 AED 444 AED
One major factor that adds expense for expats in Dubai, is the cost of converting cash to AED from your home currency. Even if your bank says it offers fee-free money exchange, you can be sure that its cut is rolled up in the exchange rate it uses. To get the best deal, you should use an exchange service like TransferWise, which applies the same mid-market rate you’ll find on Google and Reuters. TransferWise provides a quick service and low flat fees to transfer your cash, this can be a much better deal than relying on your home bank.

What are the general living expenses for Dubai? How much can you get by on?
Where you choose to live is one of the major factors determining how expensive life in Dubai will be for you. Rental prices are fairly high but move outside of the city, and you can rent in Dubai for much less.

Living expenses in Dubai (excluding rent) Average cost
Single person, per month AED 3,190
Single person, per year AED 38,280
University student, per month AED 2,055
Four person family, per month AED 11,137
Four person family, per year AED 133,644
What are the average salaries for Dubai?
The salaries in Dubai, in general are fairly high. Additionally, for skilled and in demand professions, they’re extremely good. If you’re a UX designer or mobile developer than Dubai is among the best places in the world to pull in a high salary. It’s also the city with the highest paid research scientists and office managers. However, pay isn’t so high for more administrative or entry level positions.

Check out what you could earn in Dubai here:

Salary averages for Dubai Average salary
Cashier AED 43,869
Copywriter AED 182,994
Financial analyst AED 175,421
Graphic designer AED 140,007