Welcome to Cost Of Living Reports !

The Report
UAE

  • The astonishing rise in property prices during 2008 in the Emirates certainly shocked many residents and investors alike. Like the Burj Dubai, no mean performer with price increases of around 80% since first offered for sale, the cost of any form of accommodation in the UAE seemed to defy gravity. Prices just kept going up and up, apparently with no limit. It is hard to believe that in a space of just over 5 years, property prices in Dubai have risen four if not five-fold. It has been without doubt the strongest performing property market in the world.

    Exhibit A1 – Popularity Index exert, taken from the Cost of Living UAE Report 2009-2010

    Exhibit A2 – Rental prices in Abu Dhabi, taken from the Cost of Living UAE Report 2009-2010

    Exhibit A3 – Purchase prices in Dubai, taken from the Cost of Living UAE Report 2009-2010

    Exhibit A4 – Property maintenance charges exert, taken from the Cost of Living UAE Report 2010-2011

    Above is a sample from the 2009-2010 Cost of Living UAE Report. Please click here, to purchase the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 or here to purchase the 2011-2012 Cost of Living UAE Report, which will be available on October 1st 2011. Order and pay before September 15th for the early bird discount, and pay only AED 3,500 for the full report.

  • In previous reports we have tended to make light of small increases in day to day shopping items. An increase of 5% in the price of yeast in Ras Al Khaimah or the price of a dry cleaning bill going up by 10% seemed somehow irrelevant against the 40 or 50% increases in accommodation costs. But 2008 was no joke, and the increases were anything but little. What’s more, the increases in day-to-day consumer items are part of a wider global trend of rising commodity prices, which not only started to affect all UAE residents, but looks set to continue for some time to come. We are witnessing the end of cheap food, a new age of oil prices, and a dramatic shift in consumption from West to east. In more ways than one the UAE finds itself right in the middle of this changing world.

    Exhibit O1 – The average cost of your daily/ weekly groceries in supermarkets throughout the UAE.

    Exhibit O2 – Global exchange rates against the United Arab Emirates Dirham, compared from 2006 onwards.

    Exhibit O3 – What it costs to have your dry cleaning & laundry done in the UAE, in 2010.

    Exhibit O4 – The postal services cost domestically and internationally throughout 2010.

    Above is a sample from the 2009-2010 Cost of Living UAE Report. Please click here, to purchase the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 or here to purchase the 2011-2012 Cost of Living UAE Report, which will be available on October 1st 2011. Order and pay before September 15th for the early bird discount, and pay only AED 3,500 for the full report.

  • In the first Cost Of Living Report in 2004, we wrote “In a city where almost everything has a price, education has a particularly high one”. It is important to remember that schooling is compulsory in the UAE and for the vast majority of expatriates, considering the limited appeal of Government schools, this means paying for private schooling. It is a massive and growing market, accounting for more than 40% of the total student population with more than 117 private schools in Dubai alone, offering 12 different national curricula. But despite this massive growth in providers, the sector is still struggling to keep up and waiting lists are common. The net result is boom time for educators and an increasing burden for families.

    Exhibit E1 – Assessing the costs of Edcuation at all academic levels from 2006-2008, for the various regional & global curriculums.

    Exhibit E2 – Focusing on the cost of education in Sharjah from 2008 - 2010.

    Exhibit E3 – Purchase prices in Dubai, taken from the Cost of Living UAE Report 2009-2010

    Exhibit E4 – Analysing the cost of the British curriculum in 2010, across the UAE's emirates.

    Above is a sample from the 2009-2010 Cost of Living UAE Report. Please click here, to purchase the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 or here to purchase the 2011-2012 Cost of Living UAE Report, which will be available on October 1st 2011. Order and pay before September 15th for the early bird discount, and pay only AED 3,500 for the full report.

  • Medical care remains big business in the Emirates and a business it certainly is, with different parts of the country’s demographics carefully targeted according to location, cultural background and affordability. The UAE makes up a significant part of the regions healthcare market which is estimated by Arab Health to be worth US$10 billion and growing at a rate of 16% annually, but at the same time there is an acute shortage of beds placing a massive strain of the facilities in the UAE. This supply shortage is compounded by lifestyle issues. The sedentary lifestyle inherent in the city’s planning and climate, and poor dietary habits across large sectors of the population create high levels of chronic medical conditions requiring long term medical treatment. The WHO estimates that the UAE has the 2nd highest prevalence of diabetes in the world, with 20% of the total population affected with type 2 diabetes.

    Exhibit H1 – Various medical treatment and consultation costs for International Level Premium Hospitals in the UAE.

    Exhibit H2 – Insurance, dentistry and specialised clinic cost ranges throughout the UAE in 2010.

    Exhibit H3 – Consultation costs from 2005 - 2008.

    Exhibit H4 – BUPA health insurance from 2005 - 2008.

    Above is a sample from the 2009-2010 Cost of Living UAE Report. Please click here, to purchase the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 or here to purchase the 2011-2012 Cost of Living UAE Report, which will be available on October 1st 2011. Order and pay before September 15th for the early bird discount, and pay only AED 3,500 for the full report.

  • From the DED, to JAFZA, TECOM, DIFC and all of the UAE's freezone's we analyse the cost of setting up a business and renting commercial space, helping you to assess the capex required, along with ongoing costs of operation.

    Exhibit B1 – The cost of buying office space in Dubai over the past 3 years.

    Exhibit B2 – The cost of setting up a business in the UAE's various freezones.

    Exhibit B3 – Cost of hotels across the Emirates over the past 3 years from 2008 - 2010.

    Exhibit B4 – Property maintenance charges exert, taken from the Cost of Living UAE Report 2010-2011

    Above is a sample from the 2009-2010 Cost of Living UAE Report. Please click here, to purchase the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 or here to purchase the 2011-2012 Cost of Living UAE Report, which will be available on October 1st 2011. Order and pay before September 15th for the early bird discount, and pay only AED 3,500 for the full report.

  • During the past 12 months we have continued to see tremendous activity in the recruitment market across all sectors but the requirements for suitable qualified people particularly in the construction sector coupled with the shortage of talent has seen significant rises in the salaries being demanded by candidates. Some companies have been missing out on securing the most suitable candidates because their recruitment process has been too slow, and in 2008 it is definitely a candidate driven recruitment environment. A further major issue for both candidates and employers alike has been the No Objection Certificate. There are a number of employers who have been hard to recommend to potential employees due to their clearly stated policy of never providing NOC’s.

    Exhibit J1 – Comparing various remuneration packages for different Arab roles throughout the UAE from 2007 - 2010.

    Exhibit J2 – Comparing various remuneration packages for different Asian roles throughout the UAE from 2007 - 2010.

    Exhibit J3 – Comparing various remuneration packages for different Western roles throughout the UAE from 2007 - 2010.

    Above is a sample from the 2009-2010 Cost of Living UAE Report. Please click here, to purchase the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 or here to purchase the 2011-2012 Cost of Living UAE Report, which will be available on October 1st 2011. Order and pay before September 15th for the early bird discount, and pay only AED 3,500 for the full report.

  • Whether you're putting fuel in your car, or taking public transportation, we compare the cost of regional transportation against the rest of the world.

    Exhibit T1 – RTA's Metro costs in the UAE in 2010.

    Exhibit T2 – The average cost of a metro/ tube/ subway ticket across several global cities.

    Exhibit T3 – The price of petrol across several global cities.

    Exhibit T4 – The cost of public transportation in Dubai.

    Above is a sample from the 2009-2010 Cost of Living UAE Report. Please click here, to purchase the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 or here to purchase the 2011-2012 Cost of Living UAE Report, which will be available on October 1st 2011. Order and pay before September 15th for the early bird discount, and pay only AED 3,500 for the full report.

  • We assess the various costs you associated with disposable income, and what it costs to have fun!

    Exhibit L1 – Various activities and products costs associated with an average expat's lifestyle in the UAE, throughout 2010.

    Exhibit L2 – Cost of golf membership throughout UAE in 2010.

    Exhibit L3 – The cost of international golf membership in comparison to the UAE's prices.

    Above is a sample from the 2009-2010 Cost of Living UAE Report. Please click here, to purchase the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 or here to purchase the 2011-2012 Cost of Living UAE Report, which will be available on October 1st 2011. Order and pay before September 15th for the early bird discount, and pay only AED 3,500 for the full report.

  • We provide fictional cast studies on the Western, Arab & Asian families, to help assess the cost of living as a bachelor or family, based on an remuneration averages.

    Exhibit C1 – The various costs, using average remuneration levels for an Asian expat family living in the UAE.

    Exhibit C2 – The various costs, using average remuneration levels for an single Western male living in the UAE.

    Exhibit C3 – The various costs, using average remuneration levels for an Western expat family living in the UAE.

    Above is a sample from the 2009-2010 Cost of Living UAE Report. Please click here, to purchase the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 or here to purchase the 2011-2012 Cost of Living UAE Report, which will be available on October 1st 2011. Order and pay before September 15th for the early bird discount, and pay only AED 3,500 for the full report.