How much does it cost to travel to Dubai – is Dubai Expensive?

If you are like us, chances are you have been putting off your Dubai trip thinking Dubai is expensive. So, is Dubai really that expensive? We were never so wrong about a destination. While it is one of the best countries to visit with family and kids. So, we very much want to travel here. Recently, we were simply amazed to discover that it is possible to visit Dubai on a shoe string budget as much as it is possible to do a family friendly trip to Las Vegas! How? Well, we will talk about that in a while. Let us first introduce you to some of the major attractions of Dubai to lure you in visiting here 🙂 . And then we will get into how much does it cost to travel to Dubai. Makes Sense? Let’s start then.

By the way, ever thought to visit Dubai in summer? Dubai and summer don’t go together in your perception, right? I mean, who would want to visit a place famous for its desert in the blazing hot summer? One would rather prefer to go to Europe or maybe Sydney? But, most of us often forget that there is way more to Dubai than just its desert. As, there are beaches, world-famous water parks, underwater zoo, and the best summer shopping escapades ensconced in the folds of Dubai. Thus making it an ideal destination to visit during summer vacations. Checkout, this list of things to do in Dubai with kids. And you will know what I am talking about. Overall, if planned well, Dubai can make for one of the best places to visit in May during the summer vacations time.

Also, there is so much advantage to travel offseason and in shoulder seasons. With less crowd & much lower rates. We have experienced it earlier. First on our 2 weeks Europe trip with kids in April-May . And then also spending wonderful time on our trip to Ooty during the monsoons . Or, when we spent 3 days in Jaipur & 4 days in Udaipur during September, the monsoon months.

Below is a list of 10 places that are so unique to Dubai. And they will compel you to visit Dubai in summer. So, don’t forget to include them in your list when you plan a trip to Dubai. Also, checkout these interesting Dubai facts before you head here to make your trip all the more interesting.

Burj Khalifa : all time favorite

The first thing to see in Dubai is the tallest skyscraper in the world- Burj Khalifa. Almost all the Dubai tour packages include this site in their itinerary. So, you can tag along with the group if you want to. From the vantage point of the tower, you can see the whole of Dubai spread out beneath you. Such beauty is bound to leave you dumbstruck, and if the sight doesn’t, the height surely will.

Dubai Creek : enjoy summer night breeze

The Dubai creek is a calm and serene place, perfect for a bout of night-time breeze. Thus, a perfect one to explore when you visit Dubai in summer. The ferry rides will leave you sedate and relaxed. The ferry boats are quite inexpensive, and you’ll thoroughly enjoy your ride. You can also have a dinner cruise while you appreciate the scenery.

Mall of the Emirates : cool in summer

Get all your summer shopping done in this huge Mall of the Emirates. As grandiose as the name sounds, the mall itself is much more extravagant than that. With domed ceilings and many international departmental stores, this mall also has its own Ski centre. So, get ready to do bags of shopping and ski to your heart’s content.

Wild Wadi Waterpark : perfect for summer

A summer well spent is the one spent in the water parks. Don’t you agree? You get your much-needed adrenalin boost along with the cooling effect of water in this hot summer. Wild Wadi is pretty close to the beach and is the perfect escapade for those who are young at heart. And what’s more, it is one of the best waterparks in Dubai.

Palm Jumeirah

The tree-shaped island of Palm Jumeirah is famous for its upscale hotels, glitzy apartment towers and 7-star global restaurants. Local delicacy offered by food trucks dot the entire island. Enjoy the night life with the live DJs and infinity pools that are all around this island. The view at the Palm is definitely one of the best you will get in Dubai.

Ski Dubai : indoor : perfect to try in Dubai in summer

This indoor ski centre has a mountain motif as well as snow for year-around skiing and snowboarding. The slope is not that steep but is a really good place to escape from the heat of the desert. Bring your scarf; you’ll need it to ward off the cold. Although being inside the Mall of the Emirates, this deserves a special place in the list due to its sheer engineering brilliance.

Explore Dubai Marina when you visit Dubai in summer

This upscale locality of Dubai is dotted by tall high-rise buildings and flying taxis. Yes, you read it correctly. Flying taxis are a speciality of this area. The volocopters, as they are called, are completely electric and are a jam-free way of traveling.

The World to explore in summer when in Dubai

This artificial archipelago of many tiny islands is constructed in the rough outline of a world map. This again boasts of the engineering skills of Dubai. The World is located in the Persian Gulf and is only 4 km away from the coast. The World is made up of 300 islands, and you can visit these if you wish to do so!

Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo

The Dubai Aquarium, according to me, is the best place to go when you visit in Dubai in summer. Walking through the underwater halls of this aquarium and zoo again brings into focus the sheer brilliance of the engineering done. You can see how fishes are reared and fed. You can see animals in their natural habitat. It’ll feel like you are walking on the ocean bed itself. This heavenly feeling must be experienced by you. And more so, if you are traveling with kids. Since, they just love zoo and aquarium kind of places.

Jumeirah Beach in Dubai in summer

This white sand beach on the coast of the Persian Gulf will surely win your heart. Lather up the sunscreen and get ready to splash your day away with this absolute beauty of a beach. You can also retreat within the cool walls of the mosque that is nearby.

Dubai calls to you. Can you hear it? Can you hear the waves crashing at the Palm Jumeirah, calling out to you to visit this engineering marvel? So, below are some general tips that will be useful for you when visiting Dubai. So, what are you waiting for? Start your preparations and do at least a week long trip to Dubai this summer!

Planning a trip to Dubai

Luxury and exoticness know no bounds in this Arabic city. If you are wondering how to plan a trip to Dubai, don’t worry. The purpose of this article is to cover that. There are readymade Dubai tour packages that come with their itinerary for you, in case you are not the one who like to plan your own trips. But then if you want to make changes, you can totally modify them by simply choosing to visit the places you want to see. Or, you can define your own itinerary.

How to plan your cost of visiting attractions in Dubai

Like any other place, there are several attractions in Dubai. (Like the ones we just visited above). But if you are not choosing one wisely, it can soon burn a hole in your pocket. The good news is that some of the most famous and best attractions of Dubai like the Burj Khalifa, The Dubai Fountain (world’s biggest themed water fountain), some natural flower gardens and many more are totally FREE!!! Similarly, you can visit the numerous malls of Dubai for free. And it’s not going to burn a hole in your pocket until you plan to buy something really expensive there!

Some like Dubai Miracle Garden (world’s largest natural flower garden, entry fee $8) , Dubai Museum ($1) etc. cost just a bit. While the top floor observation deck on the Burj Khalifa costs an entry ticket of around $140. But, then, it’s up to you to decide if you want to go there.

How much does it cost to travel to Dubai overall

It is not a doubt that Dubai is one of the most luxurious vacation destinations in the world. So, while you plan to travel to Dubai in summer (or otherwise), a question that is sure to pop up is how much does it cost to travel to Dubai. Dubai is costly, no doubt about that. But there are ways to make your money last longer. And enjoy the various attractions in Dubai that we mentioned above. So, let’s drive into the cost analysis without delay.

Cost of flying into Dubai

So, coming back to how much does it cost to travel to Dubai, let’s first consider the cost of flight to Dubai. Now a days, Dubai has become a transit hub for flights connecting Asia, Europe and USA. It’s strategic location in the middle east contributes heavily to that. And so does it’s great infrastructure. As a result, there are numerous flights operating in and out of Dubai on a daily basis, giving you a huge choice to select your flight to Dubai. The cost is not really high, if you can avoid peak seasons like the Dubai Shopping Festival time.

You might want to read through our tricks to score cheap flight tickets to help you further save on your Dubai flight cost. Basically, you need to book in advance. And don’t forget to compare flight cost across the carriers before heading to book yours.

Another option is to fly into one of the neighbouring countries like Sharjah. The flight cost to these countries might prove much cheaper than Dubai. And they are well connected by road. Moreover, it takes even less than an hour to reach Dubai from some of these.

Cost of transportation and accommodation in Dubai

While Dubai is the Mecca of luxurious cars, it does have a robust public transportation system. The extensive network of Metro Rail has a ticket price starting at just 1$ !! So, if you are ok with walking a little to the public transport system and use them (Of course, more conveniently if you can avoid peak hour traffic), then just go for it. For a week long trip, you will hardly spend 15-20 $ on your transport through Metro Rail. Ever since we used the Paris Metro extensively and beat the Paris traffic a number of times,  we highly encourage our readers to try the metro and rail options available in their destinations as they are one of the cheapest and fastest.

Apart from the rail, Dubai also has a very well developed bus network. The public buses in Dubai are very well maintained and come at a starting price of around 1-2$ per person, which is again very economical. In fact, you can also take a special tourist bus in Dubai which takes you through the attractions of Dubai providing a slow paced wonderful travel experience.

And then there are mono rails, abra rides and taxis (the luxurious end of commute) as well in Dubai. So, as per your budget, you can choose which ever you like.

Coming to accommodation, Dubai has all kind of options. Although one always pictures to stay in luxurious resorts in Dubai, but, if you are on a shoe string budget and want to know how much does it cost to travel to Dubai. Well, not much when it comes to accommodation. As the options of hotels start at a mere 20-30 $ per night! And if you are opting for public transport as the major way of commute, then you can choose for an accommodation farther from the main city. Then you surely are going to get a very good and comfortable accommodation for the above budget.

Other cost effective tips to travel to Dubai

• You can safely eat from road side food joints. However, for our readers from India, here’s a complete guide to Indian restaurants in Dubai.
• No need to buy bottled water as the water in Dubai is safe for direct consumption
• Although Dubai is a shopping paradise, if you are on a tight budget or don’t want to spend on shopping, just stick to window shopping. But if you really want to add some pocket friendly souvenirs and gifts to your luggage , read this to know what souvenirs to buy in Dubai.
• Even tipping the waiters is optional in Dubai, another option for you to save money.

Conclusion

So, you see, if you are wondering how much does it cost to travel to Dubai. Well, not much. If you are on a shoe string budget and you travel to Dubai for a week, following will be your cost incurred :

• Transport (Public Transport like Metro Rail) : $15
• Food (Mostly street side & food courts in Malls, couple of fancy meals) : $15-$20
• Accommodation (A hotel far from the city) : $140
• Visiting the attractions of Dubai : $30

Overall, you can do a one week trip to Dubai on a budget of $210 per head, excluding flight cost. And you thought Dubai is expensive! So, when are you planning your trip to Dubai?

General Tips for visiting Dubai

1. Dubai is very well connected with rest of the world. In fact, most of the flights that go east to west cross Dubai. Most of the flights between Asia and Europe, or Asia and USA go via Dubai. Thus whether you are visiting Rome or Paris or San Diego, there are high chances you will be flying via Dubai. So, basically flying to Dubai is not at all an issue.
2. October to March is the most crowded season to visit here.
3. When you visit Dubai in summer or any time , it’s preferable to make your flight and hotel bookings in advance.
4. Dirham is the currency of Dubai, however, US dollars are also highly accepted in tourist places. International credit cards also work on almost all shopping centers and restaurants.
5. Drinking in public is prohibited in Dubai. In fact, there is a license for drinking that foreign nationals can get either online or in a bottle shop.
6. Drugs usage is also highly punishable in Dubai. So, don’t carry any with you. And refrain from indulging in any.
7. You might feel tempted to partying here. But playing loud music or dancing in the public is something to be avoided when in Dubai.
8. It is considered rude and intrusive to snap shots of people, especially women without taking prior permission.
9. Dubai, for one, has a very low crime rate. Still, it will be a good idea to take precautions with your money and valuables like you do in any other place you visit.
10. Pack comfortable cloths with you. Dubai has a summer desert climate. And cotton cloths are the best suited. Pack cloths on the conservative side. And be respectful of the local customs when it comes to covering up and wearing the right cloths, particularly in public places and on beaches.
11. PDA is not appreciated in Dubai.

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