Just how expensive is it to live in the UAE? And just how can you make your salary go further every month? We visited five of the city’s biggest supermarkets to see who sells everyday items the cheapest and have also compared prices for dry cleaning, car rental and even the cost of a cup of coffee in Abu Dhabi.
What’s more, we’ve done a global comparison of desirable goods, such as the iPhone 5, to see if it’s more expensive to buy them in the UAE than in other countries.
The city’s Supermarkets
*We visited five supermarkets on March 7 between the hours of 3pm and 8pm.
*We bought identical items. *Only identical items (same brand and size) are compared in this analysis.
*We have printed the receipts so all prices can be verified for accuracy.
*Remember, prices in supermarkets can change daily. This analysis is intended to be used as a guide only.
Where we shopped
Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Carrefour, Airport Road
Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Waitrose, Al Reem Island
The products
Green Giant Mixed Vegetables
450g
Dhs7.90 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs7.30 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs7.75 Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs9.25 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs9.50 Waitrose, Al Reem Island
Nescafé Gold Coffee
100g
Dhs18.75 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs18.75 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs18.75 Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs19.25 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs19.50 Waitrose, Al Reem Island
Al Ain Low Fat Milk
2 litre
Dhs10 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs10 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs10 Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs10 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs10 Waitrose, Al Reem Island
Lurpak Butter Slightly Salted
500g
Dhs16.75 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs16.75 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs15.75 Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs18.75 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs19.25 Waitrose, Al Reem Island
Kellogg’s Cornflakes
375g
Dhs10 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs10.95 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs14.25 Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs11.75 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs11.95 Waitrose, Al Reem Island
Cadbury Dairy Milk
230g
Dhs8.95 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs9.50 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs10.25 Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs10 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs10.50 Waitrose, Al Reem Island
Colgate Total Clean Mint
125ml
Dhs9.70 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs9.75 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs9.55 Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs11 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs11.25 Waitrose, Al Reem Island
Bega Tasty Cheddar Cheese
250g
Dhs15.25 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs15.75 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs14.95 Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs16.75 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs17.25 Waitrose, Al Reem Island
Super Six Eggs
Six, large, white
Dhs4.25 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs4.50 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs4.50 Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs5.25 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs5.50(1) Waitrose, Al Reem Island
Ariel Washing Powder
Original perfume, 1.5kg
Dhs20.70 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs19.75 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs19.75(2) Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs25 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs25.50 Waitrose, Al Reem Island
Total
Dhs122.25 Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda Mall
Dhs123 Co-Op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Dhs125.50 Carrefour, Airport Road
Dhs137 Spinneys, Khalidiyah
Dhs140.20 Waitrose, Al Reem Island
(1) Waitrose receipt says brown eggs, but white eggs were purchased. (2) Carrefour receipt says Ariel Blue but Ariel Green was purchased.
How much for… price comparison
Gadgets price comparison
Fashion and entertainment price comparison
Flights price comparison
Living in Abu Dhabi price comparison
How much for…
A 2.25 litre bottle of Coca- Cola Light?
Lulu: Dhs5
Co-Op: Dhs5
Carrefour: Dhs5
Spinneys: Dhs5
A 16oz bottle of Sue Bee Honey?
Lulu: Dhs18.90
Co-Op: Dhs17.75
Carrefour: Dhs18.77
Spinneys: Dhs19.75
A 700ml bottle of Head & Shoulders?
Lulu: Dhs27.95
Co-Op: Dhs28.25
Carrefour: Dhs31
Waitrose*: Dhs31.50 *Waitrose receipt says ‘Extra Volume’ but ‘Classic Clean’ was purchased.
A pack of ten Fine toilet rolls?
Lulu: Dhs15.30
Co-Op: Dhs15.25
Carrefour: Dhs16.50
Spinneys: Dhs17.75
The verdict
A difference of almost Dhs20 between the most expensive supermarket and the cheapest might not seem that much, but if you buy 100 items instead of ten, it’s going to make a massive difference to your wallet.
Of course, it’s important to remember that because many of the ten items we’ve featured are more expensive in, say, Waitrose, than Lulu, that doesn’t mean all their items are more expensive.
Where you shop, naturally comes down to many factors, including how much you earn and, even more importantly, convenience. Paying a little bit extra in Waitrose probably doesn’t matter to some residents in Reem Island, for example, if it means they can go and do their shopping in a relatively quiet location, save on petrol costs and can get home within five minutes.
The products price comparison
Gadgets price comparison
Fashion and entertainment price comparison
Flights price comparison
Living in Abu Dhabi price comparison
Gadgets
Where is it cheapest to buy the latest electrical goods?
How much do Apple products cost? Ipad Mini 16GB wi-fi, black
USA: Dhs1,208
UK: Dhs1,486
UAE: Dhs1,299
India: Dhs2,000
Australia: Dhs1,410
Philippines: Dhs1,449
Hong Kong: Dhs1,225
iPad with Retina Display 32GB wi-fi, white
USA: Dhs2,200
UK: Dhs2,646
UAE: Dhs2,399
India: Dhs2,214
Australia: Dhs2,480
Philippines: Dhs2,627
Hong Kong: Dhs 2,218
IPhone 5 64GB, black
USA: Dhs3,118
UK: Dhs3,863
UAE: Dhs3,399
India: Dhs3,981
Australia: Dhs3,818
Philippines: Dhs3,967
Hong Kong: Dhs3,404
How much does a Samsung phone cost? Samsung Galaxy S3, Pebble Blue 16GB
USA: Dhs1,965
UK: Dhs2,099
UAE: Dhs2,099
India: Dhs1,974
Australia: Dhs2,340
Hong Kong: Dhs1,893
Philippines: Dhs2,759
How much for a new camera? Canon Power Shot G1X
USA: Dhs2,199
UK: Dhs2,939
UAE: Dhs2,799
India: Dhs2,733
Australia: Dhs2,346
Hong Kong: Dhs1,931
Philippines: Dhs1,931
How much for a new Xbox 360? 4GB, slim
USA: Dhs730
UK: Dhs936
UAE: Dhs949
India: Dhs1,072
Australia: Dhs709
Hong Kong: Dhs804
Philippines: Dhs1,254
How much are a set of new Dre heaphones? Beats by Dr Dre Studio Headphones, white
USA: Dhs1,098
UK: Dhs1,490
UAE: Dhs1,400
India: Dhs1,944
Australia: 1,508
Hong Kong: Dhs1,231
Philippines: Dhs1,669
*All prices from www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.ic4uae.com, www.ezoneonline.in, www.mobileciti .com.au, www.expansys.com.hk, www.apple.com, www.abenson.com.ph, www.price.com.hk, www.priceme.com.ph, www.gadgetphilippines .com and correct as of March 4 2013.
How much?
We converted all prices into dirhams using XE. Always remember exchange rates change daily.
www.xe.com
The verdict
If you want to bag yourself a new Apple gizmo on the cheap, then you’d better get someone to buy one for you in Hong Kong. The Chinese city, along with the US, is still one of the cheapest places to buy electronics around the world. The Philippines is also home to many a bargain, but spare a thought for people living in the UK and Australia: they’re having to pay around Dhs300-400 more for some items, especially the much-coveted Apple gadgets.
The UAE manages to keep its prices fairly competitive for most electronics.
The products price comparison
How much for… price comparison
Fashion and entertainment price comparison
Flights price comparison
Living in Abu Dhabi price comparison
Fashion and entertainment
How much do men’s trainers cost? Converse, red
USA: Dhs183
UK: Dhs234
UAE: Dhs265
India: Dhs88
Hong Kong: Dhs188
All prices correct as of March 11
How much does a basic women’s T-shirt cost? Zara T-shirt, blue
USA: Dhs95
UK: Dhs98
UAE: Dhs115
India: Dhs93
Hong Kong: Dhs94
All prices correct as of March 11
How much does a cinema ticket cost? One standard adult cinema ticket
UAE: (Grand cinemas, Abu Dhabi) Dhs30
UK: (Odeon cinema, London) Dhs71
US: (AMC cinema, New York) Dhs48
India: (PVR cinema, Delhi) Dhs13.50
Hong Kong: (Broadway Circuit cinema, Yu Ma Tei) Dhs31
All prices correct as of March 11
How much?
We converted all prices into dirhams using XE. Always remember exchange rates change daily.
www.xe.com
The verdict
When it comes to buying new clothes, be prepared to fork out your dirhams if you live in the UAE. Some top brands such as Lacoste can also be more expensive over here compared to other countries.
Just like with electronics, Hong Kong is a great place to go shopping, as is India, where there are some absolute bargains to be found. Once again, Brits should look away.
But a night out at the cinema is good news for the folk of Abu Dhabi. Our big screens are some of the cheapest compared to other major cities in the world. You’ll pay more than double in London.
The products price comparison
How much for… price comparison
Gadgets price comparison
Flights price comparison
Living in Abu Dhabi price comparison
Flights How much to travel?
A single, economy return flight from the UAE to Manila, leaving March 23, returning March 29
Prices listed are for cheapest available flights
Cathay Pacific (Abu Dhabi, stopover in Hong Kong): Dhs4,660
Qatar Airways (Abu Dhabi, stopover in Doha): Dhs4,800
Etihad Airways (nonstop from Abu Dhabi): Dhs5,350
Singapore Airlines (Dubai, stopover in Singapore): Dhs4,060
All prices correct as of March 17
A single, economy return flight from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow, leaving March 20, returning March 26
Prices listed are for cheapest available flights
British Airways (nonstop): Dhs4,770
Etihad Airways (nonstop): Dhs4,050
Lufthansa (stopover in Franfurt): Dhs3,770
Qatar Airways (stopover in Doha): Dhs3,090
All prices correct as of March 11
A single, economy return flight from Abu Dhabi to Beirut, leaving March 20, returning March 26
Prices listed are for cheapest available flights
Etihad Airways (nonstop): Dhs1,710
Gulf Air (nonstop): Dhs1,880
Middle East Airlines (nonstop): Dhs1,630
Qatar Airways (stopover in Doha): Dhs1,320
All prices correct as of March 14
A single, economy return flight from Abu Dhabi to Paris, leaving March 20, returning March 26
Prices listed are for cheapest available flights
British Airways (stopover at London Heathrow): Dhs4,180 Etihad Airways (nonstop): Dhs4,060
Lufthansa (stopover in Frankfurt): Dhs3,640
Qatar Airways (stopover in Doha): Dhs3,320
All prices correct as of March 11
The verdict
Everyone’s had that nightmare moment when you click back onto an airline’s website, only to find the cost of the flight you want to book has gone up. Prices change daily when it comes to flights but
there are bargains to be had out there if you’re willing to include a stopover in your trip.
Team TOAD were surprised by the lack of nonstop flights direct to Manila, considering how big the Filipino expat community is in the UAE.
Another way to save money is to choose a different departure city. You could save more than Dhs1,000 if you flew to Manila on March 23 from Dubai (albeit with a stopover) as opposed to Abu Dhabi.
The products price comparison
How much for… price comparison
Gadgets price comparison
Fashion and entertainment price comparison
Living in Abu Dhabi price comparison
Living in Abu Dhabi
How much to dry clean a shirt or blouse in Abu Dhabi?
Black & White Dry Clean LLC (02 446 6010): Man’s shirt Dhs7, Woman’s blouse Dhs7
Modern National Laundry (02 626 8118): Man’s shirt Dhs8, Woman’s blouse Dhs10
Sparkle Laundry & Dry Cleaners (02 554 7080): Man’s shirt Dhs4,Woman’s blouse Dhs4
Quick Laundry (02 644 4994): Man’s shirt Dhs5, Woman’s blouse Dhs7
Jeeves of Belgravia (02 666 3755): Man’s shirt Dhs6, Woman’s blouse Dhs10
All prices correct as of March 11
How much does a large cappuccino cost in the city?
La Pain Quotidien: Dhs19
Costa Coffee: Dhs18
Starbucks: Dhs18
Caffè Nero: Dhs16
Jones the Grocer: Dhs24
Second Cup: Dhs18
La Brioche: Dhs18
Gloria Jean’s: Dhs20
Eric Kayser: Dhs14
Paul: Dhs19
All prices correct as of March 11
How much is annual gym membership in Abu Dhabi?
Al Wahda Health Club: Dhs9,900 (for both men and women)
Bodylines at Beach Rotana: Dhs12,950 (men), Dhs9,350 (women)
Gold’s Gym Al Wahda Mall: Dhs3,500 (for both men and women)
Hiltonia Health Club: Dhs11,000 (men) Dhs7,700 (women)
Haddins Fitness: Dhs4,500 (for both men and women)
World Gym: Dhs3,950 (for both men and women)
All prices correct as of March 11. The prices are for a year’s full membership. What is offered in the membership packages varies from gym to gym.
How much to rent a toyota camry in Abu Dhabi?
Fast Car: Dhs245 a day (www.fastuae.com)
Advanced Car Rental: Dhs300 a day (www.advancedcarrentals.com)
Dollar: Dhs195 a day (www.dollarabudhabi.com)
Europcar: Dhs265 a day (www.europcar-abudhabi.com)
Epic: Dhs250 a day (www.epicrentacar.com)
Eagle: Dhs200 a day (www.eaglerentacar.ae)
Hertz*: Dhs253 a day (www.hertz.ae)
All prices correct as of March 5 2013. *Hertz are running a promotion for March, where the price drops to Dhs189.
The verdict
Like most things in life, shop around and you’ll find bargains. Car hire rates are clearly very competitive and you can save an absolute fortune when it comes to your laundry. There are some real steals to be had all over Abu Dhabi.
The biggest differences, though, are in the city’s gyms. Although the prices can be compared like for like, the facilities offered in the packages vary considerably (the more expensive gym memberships often include steam rooms, beach clubs, classes, etc.), so make sure you investigate thoroughly before making your decision.
The products price comparison
How much for… price comparison
Gadgets price comparison
Fashion and entertainment price comparison
Flights price comparison
