To say the cost of living in Dubai is not high would be a bit of an exaggeration. For the standard income bringer or so-called middle class, Dubai can be considered relatively pricey. The benefits of living in Dubai, however, are the close to non-existent taxes. This offsets the high costs of living significantly. Another thing to bear in mind is that the standard of living in Dubai is high as well. Settling for a modest room in an overly crowded area with considerable amounts of traffic will reduce your cost of rent will reduce your cost of rent, which is considered the single highest cost in Dubai. However, not many people are willing to settle for modesty.

If you’re headhunted, relocated, or offered a good job in Dubai it is recommended that you negotiate a decent housing package as part of your overall remuneration deal. Take the issue of rent off your shoulders by handing it over to your company to deal with. Unfortunately the amount of readily available housing accommodations is scarce compared to demand. This has given landlords the freedom to increase rental rates.

Another very expensive aspect of living in Dubai is the cost of socializing. Expatriates living in Dubai find themselves out and about at least twice a week socializing over food and drinks and burning a hole through their pockets. Although it may be pricey, one thing can still be said; when you are out and about you truly are paying for high quality food and superior service.

Educational services and healthcare are also quite expensive but, again, if you are headhunted, relocated or offered a good job in Dubai, you can also negotiate the incorporation of those expenses into your package.

No one is saying these expenses cannot be managed in Dubai. The amount of expatriates living here are proof that anything can be managed, however, to experience Dubai to its fullest, your cost of living is naturally going to be sky high. Taking advantage of the beach clubs, golf clubs, nightclubs, restaurants, pubs, concerts/events, and shopping malls that Dubai has to offer doesn’t come cheap.   Below you will find a chart outlining the average cost of living in Dubai per month for singles, couples, and couples with 2 children.