More and more people want to emigrate to Dubai, but one of the first questions they ask themselves is: Can I afford it? How much does it cost to live in Dubai?
In major European cities, prices for housing, food, transportation and more are often similar, but what about Dubai? In this comprehensive article, we look at the cost of living in Dubai and answer the question with practical examples.
How expensive is life in Dubai?
Basically, it can be said that life in Dubai is definitely more expensive in certain areas, but also significantly cheaper in others. Therefore, here is a breakdown of the costs by cost items such as housing, car, food, etc. that occur in everyday life.
Living
Probably one of the most exciting points is definitely housing. There is hardly any other city where the range is as wide as in Dubai. From affordable studio apartments on the outskirts of the city for a few hundred euros a month to luxury villas on the Palm that cost more than €100,000 a month.
However, if you take the average as a basis, you can say that an apartment in Dubai with the following criteria:
- 1 bedroom
- 1-2 baths
- Close to the city center (15 minutes by car)
- New building
- Parking lot
- Pool & Gym in the building
- Balcony
is usually around € 2,500 per month. This also includes the costs for the internet, DEWA (water and electricity), as well as maintenance costs for the building. Below is an example of such an apartment in "The Grand" building in the popular Creek Harbour district. It would even include a tennis court.
For a 2 BDR apartment in the same building, you pay around €4,000 per month. In some cases, the prices in the same building vary greatly depending on the orientation (view) and layout.
Another example, a little more affordable, in the popular Dubai Hills area. Here you live close to a large park, a beautiful mall and a golf course. In general, the location of Dubai Hills is suitable for everyone, as it is in the middle of the city. In the middle between Downtown and Marina / JBR, the two biggest hotspots of the city. The total cost including utilities, electricity and internet is around €4,000 per month for a 2 BDR apartment.
Apartment prices generally vary greatly depending on location, as mentioned at the beginning, but also on orientation and, of course, size. Location is the main factor here, as exclusive locations such as Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills, DIFC and similar cost much more.
Food
Another important cost in life is food. Here, too, there is a wide range in Dubai. As a general rule, however, it can be said in advance that food in Dubai is definitely more expensive than in Europe. Especially when it comes to high-quality organic food.
Below is an example of food prices from the large supermarket chain Carrefour in Dubai for fruit and vegetables in AED. Simplified you can divide by 4 and you get the Euro prices for the following organic food:
- 2.50€ for 1kG bananas
- 2€ for 500g cucumbers
- 5.50€ for 170g blueberries
- 5€ for 170g raspberries
If you look at the meat, you can also see that the prices are slightly higher than in Germany or Austria. The following euro prices for various types of organic meat can be found here:
- 10€ for 500g minced meat
- 12.50€ for 500g steak
- 12.50€ for 500g chicken breast
- 6.50€ for 1kg chicken (whole)
Of course, if you don't buy organic or buy in larger quantities, the prices will fall. However, these guide prices are realistic for high-quality food in Dubai. Only local products, such as dates, are considerably cheaper than in Europe. A person should expect to spend around €600 or more per month on food in Dubai.
Restaurants
The situation is similar with restaurants in Dubai. If you save on quality and are cheap in an Indian quarter, you can get lunch for less than €10. However, if you dine in DIFC, Palme or generally in a hotel restaurant, you will definitely pay +50€ per person. For a fancy dinner for two you will usually pay 150€.
Of course, ordering via food delivery apps is cheaper, even if the quality of the food is debatable. As a rule, you can order a bowl for around €20 per person.
Car
Cars are definitely cheaper in every respect than in Germany and especially Austria and Switzerland. Cars are much cheaper to buy and maintain in Dubai than in Europe. This is due to the fact that VAT is only 5% and fuel is also cheaper. In addition, there is no motor-related insurance tax or Standard consumption tax as in Austria. Insurance is also much cheaper.
The following brand-new RSQ 8 Performance with carbon package, ceramic brakes and much more costs around €155,000 to purchase.
In Austria, you pay well over €200,000 for such a car and in Germany, too, you are closer to the €200 mark. Driving in Dubai is therefore much cheaper, especially when it comes to luxury cars with lots of horsepower.
Cab & Uber
However, if you want to travel by cab or Uber, you will save just as much, as the prices are much lower here too. This is also due to the fact that the wage costs for cab drivers are lower, as are the purchase and maintenance of the cars. A 10km journey usually costs less than €10.
School
If you want to send your children to a good school in Dubai, you will definitely have to pay. Most schools in Dubai are private schools and the costs are correspondingly high. Good elementary school start at €500 per month and for secondary schools (grammar or high school) you pay €1,000 per month per child. In return, however, you also get an internationally recognized, high-quality education for your children. They usually speak several languages fluently before they graduate.
Summary
In terms of price, life in Dubai is more expensive in several areas, but also considerably cheaper in certain areas. How much you need to live depends very much on the lifestyle and comfort you want to enjoy. As a rule, we only recommend emigrating from an income (gross) of around €5,000.
