expatwhy.

Cost of living in Dubai

One person can expect roughly $3,213 a month in Dubai, before flights and one-off setup costs.

one person, monthly

$3,213

What that actually covers.

Monthly cost components for Dubai
ItemUSD / month
Rent, one bedroomverified

From a named local source.

$2,220
Food and groceries$320
Utilities$145
Mobile data$41
Local transportverified$95
Coworking

25/day × 4 days/mo regional estimate

$100
Buffer

Headroom for everything not itemised above.

$292
Total$3,213

Rent verified against a named source; the rest are modelled components.

What this figure leaves out

Flights, visa fees, health insurance, a rental deposit (often one to three months up front), agency fees, furniture, and the first-month overlap where you pay for a short stay and a lease at the same time. Budget for those separately; they are a one-off cash need, not a monthly cost.