Dubai has a reputation for luxury, but it can be done on a moderate budget if you know where the costs bunch up. Hotels and big attractions are the main expense, while food, taxis and the metro are often better value than you expect.
Where the money goes
Accommodation is the biggest cost, and it swings with the season. Winter (November to March) is peak season, with the highest prices. Attractions and activities are the next: the top tickets and desert safaris add up quickly. Food ranges from cheap shawarma to very high-end restaurants, so your choices matter more than the city itself.
- Biggest cost
- Hotels
- Peak season
- Nov to Mar
- Cheapest months
- Jun to Sep
- Metro
- Good value
- Free
- Beaches, souks
- Tipping
- 10% typical
Easy ways to save
- Visit outside winter. Summer prices can be much lower, though you will spend your time indoors.
- Use the metro and trams. Taxis are fine but add up.
- Eat where locals eat. Old Dubai and Deira have excellent low-cost food.
- Book combined tickets where they save you money.
- Choose a hotel near a metro station rather than on the beach.
Insider tip: Many of the best experiences cost nothing: the beach, the Dubai Fountain show, a stroll through Al Fahidi and a ride on the abra (a traditional water taxi).
Free and cheap things to do
Wander the old souks in Bur Dubai and Deira, ride an abra across the creek for a tiny fare, and watch the Dubai Fountain from the promenade for free. The public beaches and Jumeirah's coastline are free, and many malls have free attractions or windows into the city's scale.
Where to splurge
If you have budget for one or two big things, choose the Burj Khalifa or a desert safari with dinner. Both are memorable, and you can compare options below to find a good-value version.
Sample day budgets
A budget day might involve a hostel or budget hotel, breakfast at a local café, shawarma or biryani for lunch, a few metro rides, a visit to the old souks and a free evening at the fountain. A mid-range day adds a comfortable hotel, a sit-down dinner, a paid attraction such as the Burj Khalifa and a taxi or two. A luxury day starts at a five-star hotel, takes in a beach club, a desert dinner and several rides.
The point is that you control the cost. Dubai offers extremes, and travellers who choose their splurges carefully can enjoy the city without feeling they have overspent. It also helps to travel in the shoulder months, when hotel rates drop but the weather is still manageable.
How Dubai compares with other destinations
Compared with Western Europe, Dubai's hotels are often similar or slightly cheaper in the shoulder season, while top-end restaurants and attractions cost about the same. Compared with Southeast Asia, it is much more expensive. Transport and eating at local places, however, are good value.
If you are planning a wider trip, Dubai pairs well with a cheaper stop-over such as Muscat or Doha, which offer a different style and a different price level. Read Dubai vs Abu Dhabi to see how a stay in the capital changes your costs.
A sample daily budget
A moderate traveller can plan on a mid-range hotel, three meals mixing cheap and mid-range places, metro travel and one paid attraction a day. Luxury travellers can spend several times that, and budget travellers can bring costs down by choosing a hostel and eating at local restaurants. For city-specific advice, see our Dubai travel tips.
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Dubai: your questions answered
Is Dubai cheaper in summer?
Yes, hotels are significantly cheaper, but temperatures are very high, so most activity is indoors.
Is Dubai more expensive than Europe?
It depends on what you do. Hotels and attractions can be pricey, while food and transport are good value.
How much should I tip?
Around 10% in restaurants if no service charge is included.
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