Mar 16, 2023
How much does it cost to live in the UAE in 2023?
Unskilled workers earn between $1,600 and $2,000 a month, the average wage is $3,500, and above average incomes are $7,500 to $8,500.
However, the cost of basic necessities such as food and clothing can be very high, as can the prices of water and electricity.
🔸 Renting an apartment in Dubai
Monthly rent for a studio can be around $1,000. In more upscale areas, studio rental prices can already reach the $2,500-3,000 mark. However, it is much cheaper to rent an apartment in Ajman - for 600-800 dollars.
🔸 Utility payments.
A studio dweller per month will pay about $70 for utilities. For two people, you will need to allocate at least $120-150 for these purposes. In addition, you need to pay a monthly 5% housing fee of the rent amount. You will need to pay another $100 for home internet.
🔸 Groceries.
There are two types of grocery supermarkets in the UAE: some for locals and others for tourists, and they have different prices. Deira is an area of Dubai, mostly populated by emigrants with small salaries, and the cheapest grocery stores are located here.
Milk - $1 per liter; Chicken (breast) - $3; Butter (400-gram pack) - $4; White bread (loaf) - $1; Potatoes (1 kg) - $1; Chicken carcass - $3-4; Sour cream (200-gram pack) - $3.
🔸 Cafes and restaurants.
In the center of the capital: you’ll have to pay $8 for a sandwich, a cup of coffee costs about $7, and dessert is $10 to $15. A bun to go with the coffee will cost a little less. If two people eat dinner or lunch at a cafe and order three courses, they spend on average 200 to 300 dirhams ($50 to $80).
🔸 Clothing.
If you like to haggle and buy items at a lower price, you should head to the Karama clothing market. Here you can buy a T-shirt for a hundred rubles, a sweater in the range of 300 rubles, and jeans, which cost no more than 550 rubles. In large shopping centers there is a wide range of goods for all tastes and wallets. Goods are often divided into floors according to price categories.
🔸 Public transport
The price of a subway ride depends on the distance. A bus ticket costs 100 rubles, and you can also buy monthly passes there.
🔸 Mobile communications
There are two main mobile operators in the UAE, Etisalat and Du. The cost of a SIM card from the first operator is 40 dollars, from the second - 15 dollars. The cost of an outgoing call within the country is $0.2 per minute, and a call abroad is $1 per minute.
🔸 Entertainment and Sports
A visit to a gym or fitness center will cost you from 7000 rubles per month, and for skaters you will have to pay about 1000 rubles. The cost of a tour in Dubai on average is about 3700 rubles, but a visit to the famous Burj Khalifa building will cost much more - not less than 11000 rubles. You can visit the public beaches for free, but to enter the private beaches you will need to pay about 100-150 rubles.