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Dubai Cost of Living Calculator

Answer a few questions about the life you're planning and we'll give you a realistic monthly cost estimate — and the salary you need to afford it.

Step 1 of 7
1
Housing
Your biggest monthly expense — let's get this right
Are you planning to rent or buy?
What type of property?
How many bedrooms?
Which area or lifestyle best fits your plans? Not sure yet? Pick the lifestyle that appeals — the areas shown are typical examples.
What building quality are you looking for?
Property condition
Does the property have a private pool?
Property style
2
Bills & Utilities
DEWA, internet, AC, gas, and phone
Is your air conditioning included in your DEWA bill? Most apartments have DEWA-included AC. Some buildings use district cooling which is billed separately — your landlord or agent will know.
Internet usage If you work from home or stream live sport, you'll want faster broadband.
Phone plan — per person Tip: paying annually gives you ~50% off the monthly rate. How many adults need a phone plan?
1 adult(s)
3
Food & Eating Out
Groceries, takeaways, restaurants, and brunches
Household size
How many children?
1
Do you or your partner use a meal plan service? Meal plans cover weekday lunches/dinners and significantly reduce your weekly grocery bill. Popular with active professionals.
Grocery shopping style
How often do you eat out at restaurants?
How many brunches per month? Friday brunch is a Dubai institution — unlimited food and drinks, typically AED 350–500 per person. A significant cost if you attend regularly.
4
Transport
Cars, fuel, Salik tolls, and parking
How many cars do you need? Most areas of Dubai require a car. If you live near a metro line (Marina, Downtown) you may manage without one.
Car 1
Lease category
Do you commute through Salik toll gates daily? Salik is Dubai's road toll system — AED 4 per gate crossing. Teachers often work near their school with minimal tolls. Office workers in DIFC or Downtown may pass gates regularly.
Does your employer provide parking? Public parking in Dubai costs around AED 30/day. Teachers and some employers provide on-site parking — check your contract.
5
Schools
All schooling in Dubai is private — fees vary significantly
Do you have children of school age?
How many children in school?
1
Curriculum
School age group (for your oldest child)
School quality KHDA inspects and rates every school in Dubai. All reports are publicly available at khda.gov.ae — always check before applying.
Do you need the school bus? School bus: approx AED 550/month per child. Many parents drive — but school gates at drop-off can be very congested.
6
Lifestyle
Weekends, fitness, cleaners, and everything else
Privilee membership Privilee gives you access to hotel pools, private beaches, gyms, and beach clubs across the UAE. Very popular with Dubai expats — most people find it pays for itself quickly.
Gym membership Only relevant if you're not using Privilee for gym access. Dubai gym memberships are significantly more expensive than the UK.
Padel Padel is huge in Dubai — courts cost AED 150–250 split between 4 players, so roughly AED 50/person per session.
Golf
Weekly cleaner
Car wash service at home A popular Dubai perk — someone comes to your building 2–3x a week to wash your car.
Weekend lifestyle (excluding food, already counted above)
7
Other Expenses
The costs that add up but often get forgotten
Hair & grooming (per month)
Shopping & clothing
Coffee habit Coffee in Dubai averages AED 25 per cup at a cafe.
Subscriptions (Netflix, Spotify, OSN+, etc.)
Your estimate is ready
Enter your email to get your monthly estimate + breakdown
per month · all figures in AED
Your Dubai cost estimate

Here's where your money goes

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estimated per month · all figures in AED · figures are indicative only

Monthly breakdown by category
Total estimated monthly cost —
Want to see how changes affect your total?
Housing, cars, and schooling are usually the biggest levers. Adjust anything below and your estimate updates instantly.
Housing
Cars
Schooling
This updates the estimate on screen only — it doesn't change what was sent to us when you entered your email above.

A note on accuracy: These are realistic estimates based on current Dubai market data, but individual costs vary. School fees increase annually, rents fluctuate, and your lifestyle will evolve. Use this as a planning benchmark, not a guarantee. We recommend adding a 10–15% buffer to your budget for the first year.

The salary question

What do you need to earn?

Remember — Dubai is tax-free, so your take-home is your full salary. These figures are what you need to actually receive each month.

Getting by
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Covers your costs with minimal saving. Not recommended — one unexpected expense could cause real stress.
Recommended
Comfortable
—
Covers all costs, saves 10–15% monthly, affords occasional treats and annual flights home.
Living well
—
Everything covered, meaningful savings, holidays without stress, no financial anxiety day-to-day.

Ready to make the move?

Our complete Dubai Moving Guide covers every step — visas, apartments, schools, cars, and settling in. Everything you need, in the right order.

Get the moving guide — £40 (approx. AED 185)

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