Dubai’s Affordability 2025 - The Spending Costs

The biggest cost anybody has when they are moving to a new place is their shelter, which is home, so starting with shared accommodations. You will be spending between 1000 to 4000 dirhams for a shared accommodation where you will be sharing the common areas such as the living room, the kitchen as well as the washrooms. 

For studios and one-bedrooms, you will be spending between 4000 to 7000 dirhams in Dubai, and if we talk about the outskirts, you will be spending between 3000 to 4000 dirhams.

For two bedrooms for families located near the schools, metro stations, you will be spending between 7000 to 12000 dirhams a month. If you looking for accommodation in the outer areas, you will be spending between 5000 to 8000 dirhams.

The cost varies according to the: 

• Size of the Family
• Area you choose to live 
• Which developer and building you choose
• Quality of finishes in those areas

Talking about the utilities - Electricity, water, and gas. The bills range between 300 to 700 dirhams per month depending on the seasons and the usage.

Let's talk about the most important aspect of our lives these days, the Internet and the phone plans. So, for home internet, the spending will be between 300 to 600 dirhams, and for mobile data, it will be between 100 to 150 dirhams. The cost varies based on what you require. You can make your plans if you require international minutes or need more data and local minutes. These plans are very customizable, but on average the spending will be around 150 dirhams per month for a phone plan.

Coming on to the modes of transportation, let’s break it down into categories:

Expensive

This includes taxis; one ride will averagely cost about 50 to 80 dirhams a side.

Inexpensive

For this, we have the metro and buses, where one can take the Nol pass for unlimited rides, which is around 350 dirhams.

Apart from these sources, Dubai does not offer any other modes of public transportation options like in countries like India and Pakistan.

Cars 

For cars, the cost associated in terms of everyday car use includes the fuel cost, which will be around 400 dirhams to 900 dirhams a month depending on consumption. The tolls are called Salik fees, which are around 4 dirhams per tollgate, and the parking is around 2 to 10 dirhams per hour in the public areas, while parking is free with homes and residences.

Now let’s talk about a major expense, that is groceries, which can cost between 600 to 1500 dirhams based on family size and from where you shop because there is no concept of MRP here. There is a grocery store called Spinneys, which is known to be on the expensive side, so they can charge 50 dirhams for a Coca-Cola bottle. It depends where you shop from and in which area you live; the grocery prices will be different, but to average it out, it's between 600 to 1500 dirhams.

In a city like Dubai, with a plethora of Michelin star restaurants, dining out in these delicacies is enjoyed by everyone. The budget, on average, is about 100 to 200 dirhams for a meal of two at a decent restaurant.

For miscellaneous expenses such as:

• Entertainment - Movie tickets will also cost around 35 to 50 dirhams per ticket.
• Gym membership -  One can expect to spend between 200 to 800 dirhams a month. This cost may vary depending on the quality of the gym, the use of a personal trainer, and the area where you live.
• Health insurance - This cost could be incurred by the person or their employer, depending on the visa and the type of job, but the basic spending in terms of health insurance is about 1000 dirhams every year for an individual. So, a working member of a family of three will be spending about 3000 dirhams per year on health insurance, in case the employer is not providing it. It can go higher, to about 7000 dirhams per individual.
• Clothing and personal care - The cost will range between 300 to 500 dirhams a month.

Now, suming up these expenses to provide an understanding of the savings that one can make when they come to Dubai.

1. Bachelor  

• A basic package includes spending between 2500 to 4000 dirhams, which implies no entertainment such as car rides, entertainment, and dining facilities will be included. 
• Mid-range package includes spending between 5000 to 7000 dirhams, adding the cost of occasional entertainment like dining out with family or friends or spending on some luxurious items but once in a blue moon.

2. Couples

• Couples can expect to spend around 4000 to 7000 dirhams per person for a basic lifestyle.
• If we go to a little mid-range, they can expect to spend between 8000 to 12000 dirhams per person for a couple.

3. Families 

• For families, one can expect to spend around 20000 dirhams a month for a family of three and maybe four, depending on the age of the children.
• For mid-range, including the educational expense in terms of the child going to school, the spending will be between 35000 to 50000 dirhams.

The cost of living in Dubai varies a lot. It completely depends on the area a person chooses to live in, the location, a shared apartment, a majestic villa, where they choose to eat, a basic restaurant or a Michelin-style restaurant, and the sort of lifestyle that they want. Further, the family size also matters a lot, whether you are a bachelor, a couple, or a family.