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Cost of living · Dubai

Cost of living by area in Dubai

The same home in every community: registered rent plus DEWA, transport, mobile and internet, per month. Cheapest area first.

For a 1-bedroom apartment with a car commute of 40 km a day (fuel only; tolls and parking not included), one mobile line and home internet, the monthly cost of living in Dubai goes from AED 3,885 in Abu Hail to AED 13,846 in Palm Jumeirah, across 123 areas with at least 100 registered contracts. It adds the median registered rent, the 5% housing fee, DEWA for 500 kWh and 10 m³ a month (example), transport, mobile and internet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest area to live in Dubai for a single person?
For a 1-bedroom apartment with a car commute of 40 km a day (fuel only; tolls and parking not included), one mobile line and home internet, the monthly cost of living in Dubai goes from AED 3,885 in Abu Hail to AED 13,846 in Palm Jumeirah, across 123 areas with at least 100 registered contracts. It adds the median registered rent, the 5% housing fee, DEWA for 500 kWh and 10 m³ a month (example), transport, mobile and internet.
How much does it cost to live in Dubai for a couple in a 2-bedroom apartment?
Between AED 4,237 a month in Abu Hail and AED 21,299 in City Walk (117 areas with at least 100 contracts), with the median registered rent, the 5% housing fee, DEWA for 1,000 kWh and 20 m³ (example), a car commute of 40 km a day (fuel only; tolls and parking not included), 2 mobile lines and home internet. School fees are not included.
How much does it cost to live in Dubai for a family in a 4-bedroom villa with a car?
Between AED 11,563 a month in Madinat Hind 4 (DAMAC HILLS 2) and AED 76,313 in Palm Jumeirah (48 areas with at least 100 contracts), with the median registered rent, the 5% housing fee, DEWA for 2,000 kWh and 40 m³ (example), a car commute of 40 km a day with Salik, 2 mobile lines and home internet. School fees are not included.
Do tenants in Dubai pay a housing fee?
Yes. Tenants pay Dubai Municipality a housing fee of 5% of the annual rent, added to the monthly DEWA bill (UAE Government portal (u.ae); Dubai Land Department).

How this is built

Rent is the median of registered Ejari contracts for that home in each area, plus the Dubai Municipality housing fee on that rent. Everything else (DEWA, transport, mobile, internet, school fees) is the same wherever you live, so it changes the total but not the order. Only areas with enough registered contracts for the home you choose are listed.

Not included: groceries (see the supermarket guide); health insurance; buying, insuring and maintaining a car; deposits and agency fees.

Your household

The values below are examples. Replace them with yours; the table updates at once.

Example consumption for this home: 500 kWh and 10 m³ a month. Use your own from a DEWA bill.

Same in every area, per month

DEWA (electricity and water)
AED 245
Car: fuel only (tolls and parking not included)
AED 297
Mobile (Virgin Mobile 12-Month 14GB Plan)
AED 107
Home internet (Virgin Mobile Home Internet 12 Months)
AED 175
School fees
AED 0
Subtotal
AED 823

Areas

150 areas with at least 30 registered contracts for this home

AreaTotal per monthRent per monthContractsKHDA schools in the area
JABAL ALI INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTJabal Ali Industrial FirstAED 3,448AED 2,500Typical AED 2,500 – AED 2,500+ housing fee 5%: AED 125 (in the total)43None linked
Abu HailAED 3,885AED 2,917Typical AED 2,917 – AED 3,333+ housing fee 5%: AED 146 (in the total)1,6282 schools, AED 4,614 – AED 5,254 a year
Al BarahaAED 3,885AED 2,917Typical AED 2,585 – AED 3,208+ housing fee 5%: AED 146 (in the total)567None linked
Al TtayAED 3,885AED 2,917Typical AED 2,500 – AED 3,750+ housing fee 5%: AED 146 (in the total)510None linked
Muhaisanah FourthAED 3,973AED 3,000Typical AED 2,250 – AED 3,512+ housing fee 5%: AED 150 (in the total)4,3974 schools, AED 11,732 – AED 24,602 a year
Al Twar FirstAED 4,006AED 3,032Typical AED 2,888 – AED 3,238+ housing fee 5%: AED 152 (in the total)2053 schools, AED 19,416 – AED 40,202 a year
Al Qusais Industrial SecondAED 4,148AED 3,167Typical AED 2,833 – AED 3,667+ housing fee 5%: AED 158 (in the total)251None linked
Al Warsan ThirdAED 4,148AED 3,167Typical AED 3,083 – AED 3,250+ housing fee 5%: AED 158 (in the total)93None linked
Hor Al AnzAED 4,204AED 3,220Typical AED 2,917 – AED 3,948+ housing fee 5%: AED 161 (in the total)2,3262 schools, AED 3,749 – AED 19,570 a year
Al LusailyAED 4,323AED 3,333Typical AED 3,000 – AED 3,750+ housing fee 5%: AED 167 (in the total)71None linked
Al MararrAED 4,323AED 3,333Typical AED 2,583 – AED 3,750+ housing fee 5%: AED 167 (in the total)1,826None linked
Al Qusais Industrial FifthAED 4,323AED 3,333Typical AED 3,167 – AED 3,667+ housing fee 5%: AED 167 (in the total)2,688None linked
International City Phase 1Al Warsan FirstAED 4,323AED 3,333Typical AED 3,080 – AED 3,675+ housing fee 5%: AED 167 (in the total)10,108None linked
Jabal Ali Industrial FirstAED 4,380AED 3,388Typical AED 2,500 – AED 3,965+ housing fee 5%: AED 169 (in the total)175None linked
Al KhabeesiAED 4,410AED 3,417Typical AED 3,333 – AED 3,619+ housing fee 5%: AED 171 (in the total)34None linked
BadraHessyan FirstAED 4,410AED 3,417Typical AED 3,133 – AED 3,750+ housing fee 5%: AED 171 (in the total)145None linked
Al Goze Industrial SecondAED 4,476AED 3,479Typical AED 3,388 – AED 3,667+ housing fee 5%: AED 174 (in the total)1,661None linked
AL QUSAISAED 4,498AED 3,500Typical AED 2,583 – AED 3,917+ housing fee 5%: AED 175 (in the total)4,513None linked
NaifAED 4,498AED 3,500Typical AED 3,000 – AED 4,134+ housing fee 5%: AED 175 (in the total)1,814None linked
Ras Al Khor Industrial ThirdAED 4,636AED 3,631Typical AED 3,150 – AED 4,240+ housing fee 5%: AED 182 (in the total)1,194None linked
Al KheeranAED 4,673AED 3,667Typical AED 3,333 – AED 3,750+ housing fee 5%: AED 183 (in the total)99None linked
Al Nahda SecondAED 4,673AED 3,667Typical AED 3,375 – AED 4,000+ housing fee 5%: AED 183 (in the total)6,0256 schools, AED 4,081 – AED 43,540 a year
AL TWAR FIFTHAED 4,673AED 3,667Typical AED 3,167 – AED 4,125+ housing fee 5%: AED 183 (in the total)1,140None linked
Nadd HessaAED 4,678AED 3,672Typical AED 3,649 – AED 4,192+ housing fee 5%: AED 184 (in the total)40None linked
Al DhagayaAED 4,760AED 3,750Typical AED 3,139 – AED 4,167+ housing fee 5%: AED 188 (in the total)300None linked
Al Qusais Industrial FourthAED 4,760AED 3,750Typical AED 3,250 – AED 3,958+ housing fee 5%: AED 188 (in the total)310None linked
Al Warqa FirstAED 4,785AED 3,773Typical AED 3,417 – AED 4,374+ housing fee 5%: AED 189 (in the total)4,1797 schools, AED 7,648 – AED 43,906 a year
Al Qusais Industrial FirstAED 4,848AED 3,833Typical AED 3,417 – AED 4,333+ housing fee 5%: AED 192 (in the total)471None linked
Al RashidiyaAED 4,865AED 3,850Typical AED 3,754 – AED 4,077+ housing fee 5%: AED 193 (in the total)913 schools, AED 6,156 – AED 31,968 a year
Al Nahda FirstAED 4,865AED 3,850Typical AED 3,583 – AED 4,417+ housing fee 5%: AED 193 (in the total)4,201None linked
Hor Al Anz EastAED 4,866AED 3,851Typical AED 3,500 – AED 4,583+ housing fee 5%: AED 193 (in the total)1,306None linked
Eyal NasserAED 4,935AED 3,917Typical AED 3,333 – AED 4,583+ housing fee 5%: AED 196 (in the total)516None linked
Madinat Hind 4 (DAMAC HILLS 2)Madinat Hind 4AED 4,935AED 3,917Typical AED 3,500 – AED 4,500+ housing fee 5%: AED 196 (in the total)217None linked
Al Goze FourthAED 4,971AED 3,951Typical AED 2,888 – AED 5,667+ housing fee 5%: AED 198 (in the total)979None linked
Al Goze FirstAED 4,990AED 3,969Typical AED 3,583 – AED 4,208+ housing fee 5%: AED 198 (in the total)48None linked
Al Suq Al KabeerAED 5,023AED 4,000Typical AED 3,500 – AED 4,583+ housing fee 5%: AED 200 (in the total)2,161None linked
Dubai Investment Park SecondAED 5,089AED 4,063Typical AED 3,600 – AED 4,750+ housing fee 5%: AED 203 (in the total)1,020None linked
International City Phase 3Warsan FourthAED 5,110AED 4,083Typical AED 3,500 – AED 4,667+ housing fee 5%: AED 204 (in the total)5,464None linked
JABEL ALI HILLSSaih Shuaib 1AED 5,141AED 4,113Typical AED 3,500 – AED 4,583+ housing fee 5%: AED 206 (in the total)125None linked
Al RegaAED 5,178AED 4,148Typical AED 3,500 – AED 4,833+ housing fee 5%: AED 207 (in the total)604None linked

Sources

  • Source: Dubai Land Department (originator), open datasets «Rent Contracts», «Real Estate Transactions» on Dubai Data. Original data © Dubai Land Department. Licensed under the Dubai Open Data Licence. The tables are derived by Brainy Prices (aggregates only: medians and ranges of at least 10 registered records); they are not produced, verified or endorsed by Dubai Land Department, Dubai Data or the Dubai Government. The derived tables are available under the same licence: /dubai-property.json.
  • DEWA: official slab tariff, fuel surcharge for October 2026.
  • Transport: fuel prices of October 2026 and published Salik and nol tariffs.
  • Housing fee: 5% of the annual rent, paid to Dubai Municipality with the DEWA bill (tenants), as stated by UAE Government portal (u.ae) · Dubai Land Department
  • Mobile and internet: cheapest plans with a verified price, read 2 October 2026.
  • Schools: KHDA open data, 2024-2025 (historical fees). An area lists a school only when the KHDA area name equals the community or its DLD area name.

Details: rent and property prices · DEWA bill calculator · fuel, tolls and parking · mobile and internet plans · school fees