November 20th, 2018
When Dubai is mentioned, images of Bentley’s, luxurious villas, private jets, outrageously luxurious hotels and ostentation quickly spring to mind. It is therefore unsurprising that many consider Dubai holidays to be a very expensive choice. To an extent they are right. Cheap hotel deals in Dubai might not be that cheap when you compare them to average hotel rates in mass market tourist destinations in the Med.
If you were however going to compare like for like product and service, then Dubai holidays are surprisingly affordable.
Take the Grosvenor House Hotel in Dubai and its former sister hotel with the same name in London. A week in a standard room at Grosvenor House in London would easily cost £2,000 a person just for the hotel. In comparison, a weeks holiday at Grosvenor House in Dubai can be as cheap as £799 per person including flights. The quality of product and service in Dubai is arguably a class ahead of the same property in London.
Self Catering in Dubai
£799 per person does not compare with the a 7 night self catering holiday in the Med which includes flights and accommodation for under £500. The good news is that Dubai is starting to offer a more diverse range of holiday options. Apartment hotels in Dubai such as Hilton Jumeirah Residence and the Oasis Beach Towers both are excellent choices for those that want a self catering beach property. They are both 5* properties, but the prices are astonishingly low. A week at in a 2 bedroom apartment at the Oasis Beach Tower with flights can cost as little as £599 per person based on a family of 4 sharing the apartment.![\"\"](\"https://images.tripmanager.co.uk/media/images/uploads/blogs/blobid0.jpg\" "\\"index.jpg\\"")
Food and drink in Dubai on a Budget
Now that we have established that accommodation for budget conscious travellers to Dubai is available, what about food and drink on a budget holiday in Dubai? Although Dubai conjures an image of expensive restaurants and pricy chic cafes, food on a budget is possible. People from the Indian sub-continent do after all live and work in Dubai for an average wage of £200/month and all of them manage to not only live in the city but also send money back home. Eating out options include as astonishing choice of “eat as much as you like” buffets for lunch and dinner at cost of £10-£15 per person. There are other fast food venue offering meals for as little as £3-5 per person.
If you fancy doing some grocery shopping, Carrefour have a branch at Dubai Marina Mall which is a 10 minute walk from the hotels on the beach. You will find all the groceries you would expect from Tesco or Sainsburys in addition to range of ready meals which you will be able heat up in your microwave at your apartment.
Travelling Around Dubai
The Metro has changed the face of public transport in Dubai. A single trip anywhere on the network will cost a tiny 80 pence per trip, and this is enough to take you all the way from the beach to the airport. If you want to travel to an area not catered for on the metro route, public air conditioned busses are equally cheap. The bus stops even have air conditioned bus stands which means there is no risk of sweating to death while you wait for 3 busses to arrive at the same time.
Is a budget holiday to Dubai really a “budget holiday”
We accept that Dubai will never be as cheap as certain mass market European destinations. What we can say is that Dubai now offers significantly cheaper holidays on the beach than were on offer 10 years ago. In comparison to long haul destinations, Dubai does overall offer an interesting value proposition when you take into consideration distance from the UK, standards and service, quality of accommodation and safety and security. In our opinion, a budget holiday in Dubai may cost you a little bit more than short haul options, but the memories and experiences on offer in Dubai will definitely make up for those extra pounds.
Your experience of a budget holiday in Dubai
Many of you will have enjoyed a budget holiday in Dubai, and we would live you to share your ideas, experiences, hints and tips with other readers. And of course, if you disagree with our conclusions, we would love to know why.
KHAO LAK, THAILAND
Dubai, Phuket & Khao Lak!
OUTRIGGER KHAO LAK BEACH RESORT
Travel between June 3rd, 2025 and June 18th, 2025
Book by: October 8th, 2024
Take the Grosvenor House Hotel in Dubai and its former sister hotel with the same name in London. A week in a standard room at Grosvenor House in London would easily cost £2,000 a person just for the hotel. In comparison, a weeks holiday at Grosvenor House in Dubai can be as cheap as £799 per person including flights. The quality of product and service in Dubai is arguably a class ahead of the same property in London.
Self Catering in Dubai
£799 per person does not compare with the a 7 night self catering holiday in the Med which includes flights and accommodation for under £500. The good news is that Dubai is starting to offer a more diverse range of holiday options. Apartment hotels in Dubai such as Hilton Jumeirah Residence and the Oasis Beach Towers both are excellent choices for those that want a self catering beach property. They are both 5* properties, but the prices are astonishingly low. A week at in a 2 bedroom apartment at the Oasis Beach Tower with flights can cost as little as £599 per person based on a family of 4 sharing the apartment.
Food and drink in Dubai on a Budget
Now that we have established that accommodation for budget conscious travellers to Dubai is available, what about food and drink on a budget holiday in Dubai? Although Dubai conjures an image of expensive restaurants and pricy chic cafes, food on a budget is possible. People from the Indian sub-continent do after all live and work in Dubai for an average wage of £200/month and all of them manage to not only live in the city but also send money back home. Eating out options include as astonishing choice of “eat as much as you like” buffets for lunch and dinner at cost of £10-£15 per person. There are other fast food venue offering meals for as little as £3-5 per person.
If you fancy doing some grocery shopping, Carrefour have a branch at Dubai Marina Mall which is a 10 minute walk from the hotels on the beach. You will find all the groceries you would expect from Tesco or Sainsburys in addition to range of ready meals which you will be able heat up in your microwave at your apartment.
Travelling Around Dubai
The Metro has changed the face of public transport in Dubai. A single trip anywhere on the network will cost a tiny 80 pence per trip, and this is enough to take you all the way from the beach to the airport. If you want to travel to an area not catered for on the metro route, public air conditioned busses are equally cheap. The bus stops even have air conditioned bus stands which means there is no risk of sweating to death while you wait for 3 busses to arrive at the same time.
Is a budget holiday to Dubai really a “budget holiday”
We accept that Dubai will never be as cheap as certain mass market European destinations. What we can say is that Dubai now offers significantly cheaper holidays on the beach than were on offer 10 years ago. In comparison to long haul destinations, Dubai does overall offer an interesting value proposition when you take into consideration distance from the UK, standards and service, quality of accommodation and safety and security. In our opinion, a budget holiday in Dubai may cost you a little bit more than short haul options, but the memories and experiences on offer in Dubai will definitely make up for those extra pounds.
Your experience of a budget holiday in Dubai
Many of you will have enjoyed a budget holiday in Dubai, and we would live you to share your ideas, experiences, hints and tips with other readers. And of course, if you disagree with our conclusions, we would love to know why.
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