Cost of living in United Arab Emirates
Summary of cost of living in United Arab Emirates
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: Dirham 16,166
- Single person estimated monthly costs: Dirham 8,903
- United Arab Emirates is the 3rd most expensive country in Middle East (3 out of 10)
- Cost of living in United Arab Emirates is more expensive than in 81% of countries in the World (17 out of 85)
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | Dirham 56 | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | Dirham 28 | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | Dirham 18 | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | Dirham 7 | ||
| 12 eggs, large | Dirham 15 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | Dirham 7 | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | Dirham 26 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | Dirham 9 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | Dirham 4.60 | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | Dirham 12 | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | Dirham 74 | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | Dirham 8 | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | Dirham 3.81 | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | Dirham 7,551 | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | Dirham 5,163 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | Dirham 739 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | Dirham 5,089 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | Dirham 3,458 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | Dirham 394 | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | Dirham 309 | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | Dirham 1,114 | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | Dirham 308 | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | Dirham 43 | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | Dirham 33 | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | Dirham 216 | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | Dirham 207 | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | Dirham 361 | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | Dirham 381 | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | Dirham 82,712 | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | Dirham 2.19 | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | Dirham 245 | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | Dirham 17 | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | Dirham 54 | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | Dirham 289 | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | Dirham 22 | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | Dirham 17 | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | Dirham 21 | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | Dirham 12 | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | Dirham 14 | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | Dirham 69 | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | Dirham 179 | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | Dirham 82 | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | Dirham 482 | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | Dirham 341 | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | Dirham 72 | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | Dirham 23 | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | Dirham 45 | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | Dirham 1,607 | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | Dirham 0.71 | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | Dirham 363 | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | Dirham 21 | ||
Map of Cost of Living in United Arab Emirates
This map shows only the top cities in United Arab Emirates. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to United Arab Emirates? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in UAE of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Dubai is 21% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Dubai is 7% cheaper than in Paris
- Cost of living in Dubai is 22% cheaper than in Hong Kong
- Cost of living in Dubai is 143% more expensive than in Ribeirão Preto
- Cost of living in Dubai is 132% more expensive than in Mumbai
- Cost of living in Dubai is about the same as in Toronto
- Cost of living in Abu Dhabi is about the same as in Dubai
- Cost of living in Dubai is 5% more expensive than in Charlotte, North Carolina
- Cost of living in Dubai is 9% cheaper than in Sydney
- Cost of living in Dubai is 23% more expensive than in Jeddah
- Cost of living in Dubai is 176% more expensive than in Delhi
- Cost of living in Dubai is 140% more expensive than in Istanbul
- Cost of living in Dubai is 22% more expensive than in Barcelona
- Cost of living in Dubai is 193% more expensive than in Kolkata
- Cost of living in Dubai is about the same as in Doha
- Cost of living in Dubai is 100% more expensive than in Johannesburg
- Cost of living in Dubai is 82% more expensive than in Warsaw
- Cost of living in Dubai is 24% more expensive than in Madrid
- Cost of living in Dubai is 32% cheaper than in New York City
- Cost of living in Dubai is about the same as in Melbourne
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- Internet 8 mbps, 1 month in Dubai costs Dirham 100 (1 day ago)
- Public transport in Dubai costs Dirham 600 (1 day ago)
- 2 liters of coca-cola in Dubai costs Dirham 8 (2 days ago)
- 1 kg of apples in Dubai costs Dirham 20 (3 days ago)
- 1 pack of marlboro cigarettes in Dubai costs Dirham 20 (4 days ago)
- Internet connection 300 mbps, 1 month in Dubai costs Dirham 380 (4 days ago)
- Utilities (studio), monthly for 1 person in 45 m2 in Dubai costs Dirham 130 (5 days ago)
- Utilities, monthly for 2 people in 85 m2 in Dubai costs Dirham 200 (5 days ago)
- 1 kg of rice in Dubai costs Dirham 16 (5 days ago)
- 500 g of bread in Dubai costs Dirham 3.00 (5 days ago)