Cost of Living in the UAE- updated

I’m updating this because I have had a few emails from people who are bringing families over, people want me to include gym membership costs (they are on another post on this blog but I agree should be included in this one too) and also because the cost of living in the UAE is rising while salaries remain stagnant. This can be seen in the rise in the cost of apartments in Sharjah and Ajman- which used to be considered cheaper places to live, now they are not far off prices in Dubai

Also there are new costs being added every day, this includes ID cards, housing fees and ridiculously high cooling charges, usually incurred by the tenant.

This is a much more inclusive post than the previous one, it includes petrol prices, housing fees and Salik. For your information, the UAE has one of the highest costs of petrol in the gulf; in Saudi Arabia, it’s less than half the price we pay!

The positive news is more companies are expected to hire in the coming months after the lethargy of the last few years, so that should help boost the job market.

Please note, am not an accountant and maths is certainly not a strong point but this time am working on AN AVERAGE of the cost of rent in 3 emirates. Costs like Salik only apply to Dubai, so take that cost off if you’re living in a different emirate (Note: People living in all Emirates will need a Salik tag if you visit Dubai)

Things to note out of interest:

• Getting a small car in the UAE, like a Toyota Yaris is quite affordable (about 1800 dirhams a month) however it’s certainly not advisable. This is mainly because most people here have enormous cars and drive like they’ve never been taught- it can be quite a harrowing experience in a small car. A small SUV like a Hyundai Tucson, Honda CRV, Lexus RX should work fine.
• Using the metro is only convenient if you have an hour to spare getting into work and live near a metro station- homes in Mirdif, Motor City, Arabian Ranches are not close to a metro station and would make the journey into work extremely difficult
•  Paying your rent can be quite difficult, since landlords insist on four cheques a year. Some landlords insist on the entire rent amount at the start of the year- don’t fall for this; this used to be common practice pre-2008 but its not anymore. You can do it in 4 cheques; it still hurts though, when 20,000 dirhams goes out of your account every three months. And note: Unless you’re with an Islamic bank, they will not take kindly if the money isn’t in your account when its supposed to be. Try not to bounce a cheque in the UAE, it could land you in jail.
• With the cooling charges, usually its the tenant foots the bill, it’s high. These are just averages- you will have to pay a supposedly refundable deposit (I’ve never got mine back) as well make as a monthly payment
•  Similarly there is a 5% supposedly refundable deposit on the flat you take, the landlords I’ve had in recent years have only ever refunded me the smallest dividend back for ‘repairs’
• Register as a tenant with your land department, if you don’t they may not be able to help you when there is an issue with the landlord or a dodgy estate agent
• As always, if there is anything you would like to know, feel free to email me, hope I haven’t left anything out! Let me know if I have!

·      All prices in AED

Expense	Cost Per Year	Emirate
Rent-Studio	38,000	Dubai
Rent-Studio	45,000	Abu Dhabi
Rent-Studio	35,000	Sharjah
Rent-One Bed	50,000	Dubai
Rent-One Bed	60,000	Abu Dhabi
Rent-One Bed	48,000	Sharjah
Rent-Two Bed	62,000	Dubai
Rent-Two Bed	75,000	Abu Dhabi
Rent-Two Bed	60,000	Sharjah
Rent- Villa	120,000	Dubai
Rent- Villa	180,000	Abu Dhabi
Rent- Villa	90,000	Sharjah
	Cost per month
Groceries Single	2,000
Groceries Family	4,500
Lights and Water	300
Housing Fees	400
Car	2000
Petrol	800
Salik	400
Internet, TV	600
Cleaner	500
Entertainment	2000
Gym Membership	400
Monthly Cooling	550
Rent Deposit	5 % of annual rent
Cooling Deposit	2000