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Cost of living in Dubai

Cost of living

Dubai runs on annual rents paid in 1 to 4 cheques, monthly DEWA utility bills, and a 5% housing fee on annual rent collected through the DEWA bill. There is no personal income tax, which is the single biggest budget mechanism: your salary arrives whole, then rent and schooling take their share.

Figures below are Oct 2026 snapshots. Asking rents (Bayut, Property Finder) run slightly above closed leases (Dubai Land Department), so use the ranges, not a single number.

Rent

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
1-bed, Dubai MarinaAED 87,000-103,000 (USD 23,700-28,000)/yrDLD median on new 1-bed leases (Jan-Aug 2026) USD 23,700; Bayut H1 2026 average asking rent USD 28,000Oct 2026Dubai Land Department / Bayut
1-bed, JLTAED 80,000-90,000 (USD 21,800-24,500)/yrDLD median on new 1-bed leases (Jan-Aug 2026) USD 21,800; Property Finder average listing USD 24,500Oct 2026Dubai Land Department / Property Finder
1-bed, Downtown DubaiAED 110,000-133,000 (USD 29,900-36,200)/yrDLD median on new 1-bed leases (Jan-Aug 2026) USD 29,900; Bayut H1 2026 average asking rent USD 36,200Oct 2026Dubai Land Department / Bayut
1-bed, DeiraAED 66,000 (USD 18,000)/yrBayut H1 2026 average asking rent; old-Dubai pricing, studios around USD 10,900Oct 2026Bayut
1-bed, MirdifAED 71,000-84,000 (USD 19,300-22,800)/yrBayut: Uptown Mirdif 1-bed average of listed flats USD 19,400 (past 6 months); Bayut MyBayut guide: USD 22,600 in Uptown MirdifOct 2026Bayut
1-bed, Dubai Hills EstateAED 90,000 (USD 24,500)/yrDLD median on new 1-bed leases (Jan-Aug 2026); ready units median sale USD 408,000Oct 2026Dubai Land Department

Groceries

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
Groceries, one person, mostly home cookingAED 800-1,500 (USD 220-410)/moHypermarket shopping at Carrefour or Lulu; USD 330-540 per Takween Advisory. Imported brands cost 30-40% more than local alternativesOct 2026JobxDubai
Groceries, coupleAED 1,500-2,500 (USD 410-680)/moJobxDubai 2026 single/couple/family budgetsOct 2026JobxDubai

Transport

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
Metro unlimited monthly pass (Nol)AED 300 (USD 82)/moDubai Metro monthly unlimited pass; Nol top-ups for bus/tram keep a metro-only commute under USD 110/moOct 2026ReloDXB
Metro + occasional taxi, one personAED 300-1,000 (USD 82-270)/moJobxDubai 2026: USD 82-140 metro-only; USD 160-270 with taxisOct 2026JobxDubai
Running a small carAED 2,000-3,000 (USD 540-820)/mo all-inFuel is cheap (around USD 0.82/litre), but finance, insurance (USD 680-1,200/yr), registration, and Salik tolls add upOct 2026ReloDXB

Utilities

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
DEWA (electricity + water), 1-bed apartmentAED 300-700 (USD 82-190)/moHigher in summer; buildings with separate chiller bills (Empower/Emicool) add USD 68-160/moOct 2026JobxDubai
Housing fee5% of annual rentBilled via the DEWA bill, e.g. USD 75-95/mo on a mid-tier 1-bedOct 2026Takween Advisory
Home internet (du or Etisalat)AED 300-500 (USD 82-140)/moPackages start from USD 62/mo depending on speed; typical 250-500 Mbps plans USD 110-140Oct 2026Takween Advisory

School fees

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
Premium British schools (Dubai College, Repton, GEMS Wellington)AED 47,000-110,500 (USD 12,800-30,100)/yrKHDA 2026-27 fact sheets: Repton FS1 USD 15,600, Year 13 USD 27,900 (no fee increase requested for 2026-27)Oct 2026KHDA
Premium American school (GEMS Dubai American Academy)AED 66,000-93,500 (USD 18,000-25,400)/yrThe only KHDA Outstanding-rated American curriculum school in Dubai (since 2011)Oct 2026CurrentIndia / Yellow Slate
Value British primary (e.g. Dubai English Speaking School)AED 43,000-53,500 (USD 11,700-14,600)/yrPrimary only (FS1-Year 6); KHDA OutstandingOct 2026CurrentIndia

Healthcare

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
DHA Essential Benefits Plan (minimum legal cover)AED 550-750 (USD 150-200)/yr plus VATMandatory minimum for every Dubai residence visa; minimum annual claims limit USD 40,800. The visa cannot be issued or renewed without itOct 2026HowToInsuranceDubai / Egsh
Essential individual coverAED 1,500-3,500 (USD 410-950)/yrEntry-level employee plans above the EBP floorOct 2026Truescho
Comprehensive individual coverAED 10,000-20,000 (USD 2,700-5,400)/yrExecutives and high earners; premium family plans USD 6,800-13,600/yrOct 2026Truescho

Build your budget

Plan your monthly budget

Tap a city and a lifestyle. The bars move with you, so you can see exactly where lean ends and premium begins.

City
Household
Lifestyle

1 person · Comfortable · Lisbon

EUR 2,200/mo

EUR 2,200/mo per person

Where it goes

  • Housing50%· rent in expat-favored neighborhoods
  • Food20%· groceries plus a few restaurant meals a week
  • Transport & utilities15%· transit passes, phone, power, water
  • Buffer15%· visa fees, deposits, first-month setup

A typical split for a comfortable budget. Shares shift by city and neighborhood; housing is the biggest piece everywhere.

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