🇦🇪Abu Dhabi
The UAE's capital, and the quieter, older-money half of the country. Slower than Dubai, cheaper than Dubai, and home to the two buildings most people leave the Emirates remembering.
Prices checked · how we work these out
In photos
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Quick facts
Money & what things cost
Identical to the rest of the UAE in practice: cards everywhere, contactless normal, ATMs reliable, and a currency pegged to the dollar so there's no rate to time. Abu Dhabi runs noticeably cheaper than Dubai on hotels and restaurants for the same standard — the emirate has less tourist competition and less of a nightlife premium. Keep some cash for buses (the Hafilat card must be bought and topped up) and for the older cafés around the city centre.
What locals earn
| Average monthly salary | ≈ AED 16,000 ($4,400) | Slightly above the national average — Abu Dhabi holds most of the government and energy sector jobs. |
| Typical service/retail wage | AED 3,000–7,000 ($800–1,900) | Hotel, restaurant and shop staff. |
| Emirati public-sector salary | AED 30,000+ ($8,200+) | A different economy from the expatriate service workforce, and part of why averages here mislead. |
| Minimum wage | No general minimum wage | No federal floor covering expatriate workers, who are the large majority. |
| Income tax | None | No personal income tax. |
Food & drink
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Shawarma from a counter | AED 8–15 | $2.50–4.00 |
| Cafeteria or food-court meal | AED 20–35 | $5.50–9.50 |
| Casual restaurant, per person | AED 55–100 | $15–27 |
| Mid-range dinner, per person | AED 130–250 | $35–68 |
| Coffee | AED 15–25 | $4.00–7.00 |
| Beer at a licensed bar | AED 35–65 | $9.50–18 |
Transport
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| City bus (Hafilat card) | AED 2 | $0.55 |
| Hafilat card itself | AED 10 | $2.70 |
| Taxi, short city ride | AED 15–35 | $4.00–9.50 |
| Airport (AUH) → city centre by taxi | AED 70–90 | $19–25 |
| Intercity bus to Dubai | AED 25 | $6.80 |
Sights
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | Free | Free |
| Louvre Abu Dhabi | ≈ AED 63 | ≈ $17 |
| Qasr Al Watan | ≈ AED 65 | ≈ $18 |
| Corniche beach | AED 0–10 | $0.00–2.70 |
Where to sleep & what it costs
| Tier | Per night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | AED 80–140 ($22–38) | A very small scene — Abu Dhabi has far fewer hostels than Dubai. |
| Budget hotel | AED 160–280 ($44–76) | Around the older city centre and Tourist Club Area. Good value. |
| Mid-range hotel | AED 240–520 ($65–140) | Corniche or Al Maryah Island. Generally cheaper than the Dubai equivalent. |
| Luxury | AED 800–2,500+ ($218–680+) | Saadiyat beach resorts and the Emirates Palace end of the market. |
Trip cost calculator
$200 per person per day · 4 nights of lodging (Mid-range hotel)
A rough estimate from this page’s daily budget and hotel prices — not a quote. Lodging assumes one room for the group.
Getting around
- From the airport
- Zayed International (AUH) is about 30–40 minutes from the centre. Taxis are metered and run AED 70–90. Airport buses are far cheaper but slow and infrequent.
- Public transit
- Buses only — there's no metro. You must buy a Hafilat smart card (AED 10) and tap on; drivers do not take cash. Fares start at AED 2 within the city. The network is decent along main routes and thin elsewhere.
- Taxis & ride apps
- Plentiful, metered and cheaper than Dubai. Careem and Uber both operate. For most visitors, taxis are the realistic way to get around.
- Between islands
- The main sights are spread across separate islands — the mosque, Saadiyat's museums, Yas Island's theme parks and the Corniche are each a taxi ride from one another. Budget for that, or plan by island rather than by day.
- On foot
- The Corniche is a genuinely pleasant 8km waterfront walk in cool months, and the central grid is walkable. Everything else needs wheels.
Neighborhoods to stay in
- The Corniche
- Waterfront, walkable, close to the central grid and the free public beach. The most sensible first-time base.
- Al Maryah / Al Reem Island
- Newer, glossier, business-district feel with good restaurants and malls. Quiet at weekends.
- Saadiyat Island
- Beach resorts next to the Louvre and the museum district. Lovely and expensive; you'll taxi for everything else.
- Tourist Club Area (Al Zahiyah)
- Older, denser and much cheaper, with the best concentration of budget hotels and inexpensive food.
Things to do
Landmarks
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Museums & culture
Restaurants
Days out
Tipping & etiquette
- Abu Dhabi is meaningfully more conservative than Dubai. Cover shoulders and knees in public as a default, not just at religious sites.
- At the Grand Mosque the dress code is enforced at the door: ankle-length loose clothing, covered arms, and a headscarf for women. Abayas are lent free if you arrive without one, but the queue for them is long.
- Book your mosque slot online before you go. Turning up without one increasingly means being turned away.
- Alcohol is served only in licensed hotel venues, and there are fewer of them than in Dubai. Public drinking and drunkenness are offences.
- Public displays of affection beyond hand-holding are against the law.
- Ask before photographing people, and don't photograph government or military sites — Abu Dhabi has more of them than Dubai.
- During Ramadan, no eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight. The city observes it more visibly than Dubai does.
Safety & common scams
As safe as Dubai, which is to say among the safest places you can travel — violent crime against visitors is rare, and walking the Corniche alone at night is entirely normal. As in Dubai, the genuine risks are legal and climatic rather than criminal: conservative laws that are enforced, and summer heat and humidity that are more dangerous than they feel. The etiquette list above is the practical safety advice here.
Scams to know
- Unofficial airport taxis — use the metered rank or an app rather than anyone approaching you in arrivals.
- Overpriced 'tours' sold on the street — book desert and island trips through your hotel or an established operator; cheap street-sold tours cut corners on driver safety.
- Carpet and souvenir markups — fine to buy, but prices in tourist-facing shops start high. Compare a couple of places before committing.
Emergency numbers: 999 police · 998 ambulance · 997 fire. Police are professional and English-speaking.
Phone & internet
Coverage is excellent across the city and along the Dubai highway. Etisalat (e&) and du sell tourist SIMs at the airport from around AED 50–125, and both support eSIM. Wi-Fi is free and near-universal in malls, hotels and cafés. As everywhere in the UAE, WhatsApp and FaceTime voice and video calling are blocked on local networks — messaging works, calling doesn't. Locals use Botim and similar licensed apps.
First-timer FAQs
Do I need a visa?
The UAE issues one visa for the whole country, so the answer is the same as for Dubai: most Western passports get a free visa on arrival — 90 days within 180 for US citizens, 30 or 90 days for others depending on nationality. Passport valid six months, onward ticket, an address. Check your own government's current advice before booking; overstaying is fined at AED 50 per day.
Is it worth visiting if I'm already going to Dubai?
Yes, and it's the easiest add-on on this site — 90 minutes by road, AED 25 on the intercity bus. The Grand Mosque and the Louvre are both better than anything of their kind in Dubai, and the city is calmer and cheaper. A day trip works; two nights works better.
Is Abu Dhabi cheaper than Dubai?
Modestly, yes — mostly on hotels and restaurants, where you'll typically pay 10–20% less for the same standard. Transport is cheaper too, though with buses instead of a metro you'll take more taxis, which eats into the saving. Attractions are comparable; the headline sight here happens to be free.
What do I need to wear at the Grand Mosque?
Ankle-length, loose, opaque clothing with covered shoulders and arms, and a headscarf for women. No sheer fabric, no tight clothing, no shorts for men. The mosque lends abayas free of charge, but the queue can be long — arriving dressed appropriately saves 30 minutes. Book a timed entry slot online first.
How many days do I need?
Two days covers the Grand Mosque, the Louvre, Qasr Al Watan and the Corniche without rushing. Add a third for Yas Island's theme parks, or for a trip south to the Liwa dunes.
When should I avoid going?
June to September. Coastal humidity makes Abu Dhabi feel worse than inland Dubai at the same temperature, and outdoor sightseeing becomes unpleasant to unsafe. November to March is excellent.
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