🇦🇪Dubai
A city that was mostly desert within living memory and now has the world's tallest building in it. Easier and cheaper than its reputation suggests — if you know which Dubai you're spending in.
Prices checked · how we work these out
In photos
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Quick facts
Money & what things cost
Cards work essentially everywhere, including taxis, and contactless is normal. You still want some cash for the old-city souks, abra crossings and small Deira cafés. ATMs are everywhere and reliable; the airport exchange desks are the worst rate you will be offered all trip, so change little or nothing there. Because the dirham is pegged to the dollar, the exchange rate you see today is the one you'll see next year — there is no timing game to play.
What locals earn
| Average monthly salary | ≈ AED 15,500 ($4,200) | Across all sectors — but see the note below, because this average hides more than it shows. |
| Typical service/retail wage | AED 3,000–7,000 ($800–1,900) | The people serving you in hotels, restaurants and shops. |
| Typical construction wage | AED 1,500–3,000 ($400–800) | Usually with employer-provided accommodation. This is the largest low-wage group in the country. |
| Minimum wage | No general minimum wage | There is no federal minimum wage covering all workers. A mandatory AED 6,000 floor was introduced in 2026 for Emirati nationals in the private sector — it does not cover the expatriate majority. |
| Income tax | None | No personal income tax, which is a large part of why the city attracts the salaries it does. |
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 60–110 | $16–30 |
| Mid-range dinner, per person | AED 150–280 | $40–76 |
| Coffee | AED 15–25 | $4.00–7.00 |
| Beer at a licensed bar | AED 40–70 | $11–19 |
Transport
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Metro, one zone (Nol silver) | AED 3 | $0.80 |
| Metro, three or more zones | AED 7.50 | $2.00 |
| Daily Nol fare cap | AED 14 | $3.80 |
| Abra across the Creek | AED 1 | $0.27 |
| Taxi, short city ride | AED 20–40 | $5.50–11 |
| Airport (DXB) → Downtown by taxi | AED 60–90 | $16–25 |
| Airport (DXB) → Downtown by metro | AED 8 | $2.20 |
Sights
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Burj Khalifa, levels 124/125 | AED 179–249 | $49–68 |
| Dubai Museum / heritage sites | AED 3–50 | $0.80–14 |
| Public beach | Free | Free |
Where to sleep & what it costs
| Tier | Per night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | AED 70–130 ($19–35) | A real but small scene, mostly in Bur Dubai and Deira. Not the city's strength. |
| Budget hotel | AED 180–320 ($49–87) | Deira and Bur Dubai. Older, perfectly decent, and on the metro. |
| Mid-range hotel | AED 280–580 ($75–160) | Downtown, Business Bay or Barsha. A pool is close to standard at this level. |
| Luxury | AED 900–3,000+ ($245–815+) | Beachfront on the Palm or Jumeirah. Rates swing enormously by season. |
Trip cost calculator
$234 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
- DXB Terminals 1 and 3 sit directly on the Red Line — AED 8 and about 30 minutes to Downtown, which is hard to beat. Taxis are metered, honest and cost AED 60–90 to the same place. Avoid the unofficial drivers who approach you inside arrivals.
- Public transit
- The metro is clean, driverless, air-conditioned and genuinely useful along the Sheikh Zayed Road spine. Buy a Nol silver card (AED 25, including AED 19 of credit) and tap on and off — it covers metro, tram, buses and the marine services. Note the Gold cabin costs exactly double, and the women-and-children cabin is enforced.
- Taxis & ride apps
- Cream-coloured RTA taxis are metered, cheap by Western standards and easy to hail. Careem and Uber both work; Careem is the local original and usually has more cars. Fares rise a little after midnight.
- Abras
- The wooden boats across Dubai Creek cost AED 1 and are the single best value in the city — a genuine working commute, not a tourist ride.
- On foot
- Walkable in pockets — the Creek, the Marina walk, Downtown — but not between them. Distances are long, blocks are enormous and for half the year the heat makes walking a poor idea. Plan to combine metro with short taxi hops.
Neighborhoods to stay in
- Downtown / Business Bay
- Burj Khalifa, the fountains and Dubai Mall on your doorstep, with the metro nearby. The default first-timer choice and priced accordingly.
- Deira & Bur Dubai
- The old city either side of the Creek — souks, abras, cheap and excellent food, the best-value hotels. Where Dubai feels most like a place people actually live.
- Dubai Marina / JBR
- High-rise waterfront, a beach, and the most restaurants per square metre. Good if you want evenings outdoors; a long way from the historic quarter.
- Al Barsha
- Cheaper, unglamorous, on the metro, and next to Mall of the Emirates. A sensible base if you're spending on experiences rather than the room.
Things to do
Landmarks & views
Old Dubai
Restaurants
Nightlife
Tipping & etiquette
- Dress is more relaxed than most first-timers expect, but 'covered shoulders and knees' is the safe standard in malls, souks and government buildings. Beachwear stays at the beach and the pool.
- Public displays of affection beyond hand-holding are genuinely against the law, not merely frowned upon. Enforcement is rare but real.
- Alcohol is legal for visitors in licensed venues and at duty free. Drinking in public or being drunk in public is not, and there is no tolerance for drink-driving at all.
- Never photograph people — especially Emirati women and families — without asking. Also avoid photographing government buildings, ports and military sites.
- During Ramadan, don't eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight. Many restaurants stay open behind screens, and evenings become one of the best times of year to be in the city.
- Use your right hand for eating, giving and receiving. The left is considered unclean.
- 'Inshallah' in answer to a scheduling question can mean yes, or can mean no. Confirm the important things twice.
Safety & common scams
Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world for a visitor, and that is not marketing — violent crime against tourists is genuinely rare, walking alone at night is normal, and lost property has a real chance of finding its way back to you. The risks that actually catch travellers out are legal and environmental rather than criminal: laws that are stricter than the city's relaxed surface suggests, and summer heat that puts people in hospital every year. Read the customs list above properly; it is more useful here than any advice about pickpockets.
Scams to know
- Unofficial airport taxis — drivers who approach you inside the terminal charge multiples of the metered fare. Use the official rank outside, or Careem/Uber.
- Souk 'special price for you' gold — gold itself sells at a posted daily rate by weight, so a discount on the metal isn't possible. Negotiate the making charge, and ask to see the karat hallmark.
- Fake designer goods — widely offered around the souks. Buying them is illegal, and customs at your destination is the one who deals with you, not Dubai.
- Desert safari underquoting — very cheap tours cut corners on driver quality and dune safety. Pay the middle of the market and check the operator is insured.
Emergency numbers: 999 police · 998 ambulance · 997 fire. Dubai Police run an English-language app and a tourist-friendly service, and are generally responsive and professional.
Phone & internet
Coverage is excellent, including on the metro and underground. Etisalat (e&) and du both sell tourist SIMs at the airport from around AED 50–125 for 1–3 GB with local calls, and eSIMs work with both networks if your phone supports one. Free Wi-Fi is near-universal in malls, hotels and cafés. One thing to know before you arrive: WhatsApp voice and video calls, FaceTime audio and most VoIP calling are blocked on UAE networks. Messaging works fine — it's the calling that doesn't. Locals use Botim or similar licensed apps instead.
First-timer FAQs
Do I need a visa?
Most Western passports don't need one in advance. US, UK, EU, Canadian, Australian, Japanese and many other passport holders get a free visa on arrival — 90 days within a 180-day period for US citizens, and 30 or 90 days depending on nationality for others. You'll need a passport valid at least six months, an onward ticket and an address. Rules change, so check your own government's advice before booking. Overstaying is fined at AED 50 per day with no grace period.
Is Dubai expensive?
It depends entirely on which Dubai you spend in, more than almost any city on this site. Hotels and alcohol are expensive. Food, transport and many of the best experiences are not — a shawarma is AED 10, the metro is AED 3, the abra is AED 1, and the fountains are free. You can have a genuinely good day here for under $50, or spend that on one brunch cocktail. Budget the hotel carefully and the rest is flexible.
What's the hidden cost on hotels?
Quoted room rates often exclude a stack of additions: a 7% municipality fee, a 10% service charge, 5% VAT and a per-night 'Tourism Dirham' of AED 7–20 depending on the hotel's star rating. Together that can add roughly 20–25% to the advertised price. Check whether your booking is showing an all-in total before you compare rates.
Can I drink alcohol?
Yes, as a visitor, in licensed venues — which in practice means hotel bars, restaurants and clubs. It's expensive: AED 40–70 for a beer. Buying from a shop requires a licence, though tourists can obtain a temporary one. Drinking in public, being drunk in public and drink-driving are all serious offences with zero tolerance.
When should I avoid going?
June through September, unless you have a specific reason. Daytime highs pass 45°C / 113°F with high humidity near the coast, and outdoor life effectively stops. The upside is that hotel rates collapse. November to March is close to perfect, and correspondingly the most expensive and crowded.
How many days do I need?
Three to four days covers Downtown, the old city around the Creek, a beach afternoon and a desert trip without rushing. Add a day if you want Abu Dhabi, which is a 90-minute drive and a very different city.
Is it welcoming to solo and women travellers?
Yes, and unusually so for the region. Women travel alone here routinely, the metro has a women-and-children cabin, and street harassment is uncommon by the standards of most large cities. Normal precautions still apply, but this is a straightforward place to travel solo.
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