The cost of living in Dubai property.

Although buying any type of Dubai property is extremely good value compared with UK prices, actually living in Dubai is generally considered expensive. Ridiculously low petrol prices are certainly a bonus for anyone who buzzes about the city a lot or enjoys regular days out in the UAE, but prices in the famous Dubai shopping malls may not be as low as you expect.

Staying in a Dubai property – buying food and soft drinks

Whether you are living permanently in your Dubai property or are renting a self-catering holiday home, you are sure to need to pop to the shops for some everyday items. Food is generally a little bit more expensive than in the UK and, as you soon discover, trips to Dubai’s shopping malls and supermarkets require stamina. They are vast! Among the largest of the grocery outlets is the 40,000sq ft Spinney´s Mercato Centre. Spinney’s has eight other branches in Dubai while the Al Maya Group has 18 branches throughout the UAE. There are also four Carrefour supermarkets and one Geant Hypermarket.

A typical grocery bill for a couple living in Dubai is Dh 500. This excludes alcohol.

12 x 1.5l mineral water Dhs 7.60
240g Camembert Dh 8.45
900g mayonnaise Dh 4.95
2.5l corn oil Dh 9.65
340kg tomato ketchup Dh 0.95
2l milk Dh 10
12 eggs Dh 6
1kg bananas Dh 2.50
loaf of bread Dh 2
1kg fresh chicken Dh 17

Living in Dubai property – going out or staying in

Most expats living in Dubai enjoy a busy social scene. Here are some costs that might be encountered when meeting up with friends at a beach club, taking in a concert in central Dubai, shopping in one of the huge air-conditioned malls, or perhaps when enjoying a lazy evening at home.

Fast food burger Dh 5
Cheese and wine buffet, early evening Dh 75pp
Glass of wine with meal Dh 15
Three-course dinner in good but not fancy restaurant, incl drink Dh 110pp
Three-course dinner in top restaurant, Dh 350+
Theatre ticket Dh 150
Sport event ticket Dh 200
33cl beer (in bar) Dh 18
City centre bus ticket Dh 1 – Dh 3.50
Friday brunch Dh 95 – Dh 150 pp
Chocolate fondue for two plus bottle of champagne Dh 160
Take-away Thai meal Dh 25pp

Other everyday needs to attract you to Dubai shopping centres

The difference in the cost of living in Dubai is not at its greatest in everyday items, although most household goods are cheaper or similar than in the UK. Much depends on where you choose to enjoy your Dubai shopping spree. There are the equivalent of British £1 shops (they are Dh 5 shops in UAE) and there are well-known names including Marks and Spencer, Next, Debenhams, Chanel, Gucci and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Generally, the more luxurious the item on sale in Dubai, the better value it will be.

150ml deodorant Dh 3.45
125ml toothpaste Dh 2.50
Pair men’s socks Dh 2.95
Woman’s hairdressers Dh 150
Men’s hairdressers Dh 50
Copy of Financial Times Dh 12
Made to measure cotton shirt Dh 100

Utility costs for Dubai property

While any Brits living more-or-less permanently in their own Dubai property will not be paying central heating bills back home, the cost of air-conditioning in this desert city soon eliminates any savings. The level of costs depends greatly on how cool you like to be, but you can be confident that the nearly all apartments and villas have modern and efficient systems.

Water Dh 50 per monthElectricity Dh 300 - 600 per month (for apartment)Telephone call to UK: Dh 1.91 at cheap rate, Dh 2.69 at peak rate

Cost of driving when living in Dubai

Motoring works out considerably less expensive in Dubai for a number of reasons, not least the indecently cheap petrol. There is no road tax to pay, either. As if that weren’t enough, there are terrific discounts to be had on vehicles, which is why so many expats living in Dubai, choose to buy a new one when they move here. Typically, the discounts are 25-45% off the UK price.

7-day hire of economy 4-door manual with aircon Dh 71
7-day hire of standard 4x4 automatic with aircon Dh 355
Gallon of petrol Dh 6.75

Living in Dubai – buying alcohol

Supermarkets do not sell alcohol. Apart from an outlet in the arrivals hall of the airport, there are only two retailers licensed to sell alcohol in the city itself: African and Eastern (A&E) which has eight stores in Dubai, and MMI which has nine.

However, only residents with an alcohol permit are allowed to buy alcohol at these stores. Obtaining an annual permit is a painless exercise for owners of Dubai property or anyone else living in Dubai on a permanent basis, and costs of alcohol for home consumption are not too high. At promotional prices you might be lucky to find a bottle of reasonable but unexceptional red wine for Dh 50, but a one-litre bottle of a branded spirit would cost only Dh 60. A case of brand lager is about Dh 75.

Most of the A&E and MMI outlets are conveniently located close to Dubai’s shopping centres and larger malls. If you are living in Dubai, or own Dubai property, you can collect an application form for the permit from any of the stores. They will also submit it to the police, who will decide on the monthly limit of alcohol you will be allowed to buy.