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What Is the Average Rent in Dubai

The average rent in Dubai for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center is AED 6,398, and a three-bedroom apartment in the heart of the city is AED 12,870. A cheap one-bedroom apartment is AED 4043.93 on average, and a cheap three-bedroom apartment is AED 8,635.14.

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Are you an expat hoping to move to Dubai? This Pacific Prime blog post will reveal the average prices of rent in Dubai as well as how that compares to some cities around the world. Figures in this article come from crowd-sourced data about living in various countries and cities around the world.

Methodology

Dubai Creek Cityscape View

Pacific Prime used crowd-sourced data to determine the average rent prices in Dubai and other locations listed in this article. Currency conversion from USD to other currencies was based on the exchange rate at the time of writing.

Rent prices shown throughout the article are based on an apartment area of 430 square feet, or 40 square meters, for a one-bedroom apartment. Prices for a three-bedroom apartment are based on an apartment size of 860 square feet or 80 square meters.

The Average Rent in Dubai

Dubai's Surreal Skyline From Downtown Dubai

The average rent in Dubai for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center is USD $1,742, and a three-bedroom apartment is USD $3,504. The average rent for a one-bedroom in a cheap neighborhood in Dubai is USD $1,101, and a cheap three-bedroom is USD $2,351.

Currency United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) United States Dollar

(USD)

Canadian Dollar (CAD) Pound Sterling (GBP) Euros (EUR)
1 Bedroom Apartment in Dubai’s City Center AED 6,398.31 USD $1,742 CAD $2,373.78 GBP £1,349.66 EUR €1,371
3 Bedroom Apartment in Dubai’s City Center AED 12,870.07 USD $3,504 CAD $4,774.81 GBP £2,714.81 EUR €3,224.94
Cheap 1 Bedroom Apartment in Dubai AED 4,043.93 USD $1,101 CAD $1,500.31 GBP £853.03 EUR €1,380.83
Cheap 3 Bedroom Apartment in Dubai AED 8,635.14 USD $2,351 CAD $3,203.65 GBP £1,821.50 EUR €2,163.77

The Average Rent in Dubai vs. the UAE as a Whole

Rent in Dubai is significantly higher on average than the average rent prices in the United Arab Emirates. This means the average rent price is much lower outside of Dubai. The biggest price difference in the average rent in Dubai versus the whole UAE is for city-center apartments.

  • A one-bedroom apartment in the city center of Dubai costs 33% more on average than the average rent price for a city-center, one-bedroom apartment in the United Arab Emirates.
  • On average, a three-bedroom, city-center apartment in Dubai is 30% more expensive than the average rent price in the United Arab Emirates.
  • A cheap one-bedroom apartment in Dubai is 15% more costly than the average price for all of the United Arab Emirates.
  • A cheap three-bedroom apartment in Dubai is 18% more expensive on average than the average for all of the United Arab Emirates.

The Average Rent in Dubai vs. American Cities

The average rent in Dubai is cheaper than rent in major US cities. Certain average prices for specific apartment types may be cheaper in select US cities than in Dubai, but most rent prices will be significantly cheaper in Dubai.

We compared the average monthly rent in Dubai to four cities spread throughout the continental United States: Chicago, Houston, New York, and Los Angeles.

The following table compares the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center of each location in the United States and Dubai. New York’s average price is more than double Dubai’s average price for a similar apartment.

Dubai vs. Cities in the USA: 

Average Rent for a 1-bedroom Apartment in the City Center

Dubai Chicago Houston New York Los Angeles
USD $1,742 12% more than Dubai 7.1% less than Dubai 99.2% more than Dubai 14.1% more than Dubai

Here is a table that compares Dubai’s average rent price for a cheap one-bedroom apartment to cheap one-bedroom apartments in the same four major US cities. Los Angeles is double the average price in Dubai, and New York is a whopping 1.5 times more expensive.

Dubai vs. Cities in the USA: 

Average Rent for a Cheap 1-bedroom Apartment 

Dubai Chicago Houston New York Los Angeles
USD $1,101 14.9% more than Dubai 23% more than Dubai 125.3% more than Dubai 61.4% more than Dubai

Below, we compared the average monthly cost for a three-bedroom apartment in the city center of Dubai to Chicago, Houston, New York, and Los Angeles.

Dubai vs. Cities in the USA: 

Average Rent for a 3-bedroom Apartment in the City Center

Dubai Chicago Houston New York Los Angeles
USD $3,504 13% more than Dubai 3% less than Dubai 112.3% more than Dubai 15.8% more than Dubai

The table below shows the difference in average monthly rent costs between Dubai and four major US cities for a cheap, three-bedroom apartment.

Dubai vs. Cities in the USA: 

Average Rent for a Cheap 3-bedroom Apartment

Dubai Chicago Houston New York Los Angeles
USD $3,504 4.7% more than Dubai 3% more than Dubai 66% more than Dubai 31.8% more than Dubai

Want more cost of living comparisons than just rent prices? Read Is Living in Dubai Cheaper than the United States?

Pacific Prime has more great resources for Americans researching a move to Dubai. Check out our blog post about living in Dubai as an American.

The Average Rent in Dubai vs. Canadian Cities

Museum Of The Future On Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai

The average rent in Dubai, UAE is less expensive than in Toronto, ON, and Vancouver, BC in Canada for a one-bedroom apartment. However, rent in Montreal is less expensive than rent in Dubai. This means that moving to Dubai may or may not save Canadians money on rent.

Here are the comparisons between Dubai and these three Canadian cities for a one-bedroom, city-center apartment on average.

Dubai vs. Canada: Average Rent Price for a 1-Bedroom Apartment in the City Center
Dubai Montreal Toronto Vancouver
CAD $2,373.78 42.6% less than Dubai 14.8% less than Dubai 5.1% less than Dubai

Here are the comparisons between Dubai and the same Canadian cities for a cheap one-bedroom apartment on average.

Dubai vs. Canada: Average Rent Price for a Cheap 1-Bedroom Apartment 
Dubai Montreal Toronto Vancouver
CAD $1,500.31 28% less than Dubai 18.1% more than Dubai 30.8% more than Dubai

This table shows the comparisons of the average price for a three-bedroom apartment in the city center of Dubai versus the average price for a three-bedroom apartment in the city center of select Canadian cities.

Dubai vs. Canada: Average Rent Price for a 3-Bedroom Apartment in the City Center
Dubai Montreal Toronto Vancouver
CAD $4,774.81 45.9% less than Dubai 19.7% less than Dubai 8.6% less than Dubai

Below, you will find the comparisons between the average price for a cheap three-bedroom apartment in Dubai compared to select Canadian cities.

Dubai vs. Canada: Average Rent Price for a Cheap 3-Bedroom Apartment
Dubai Montreal Toronto Vancouver
CAD $3,203.65 44.3% less than Dubai 6.4% less than Dubai 0.4% less than Dubai

For additional information and tips about living in Dubai as a Canadian, see this article.

Average Rent Price in Dubai vs. British Cities

Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, UAE

Rent in Dubai is much cheaper on average than rent in London. Other UK cities are much cheaper on average than Dubai for Rent. For example, Birmingham and Liverpool are 6% to 38% cheaper on average.

Here are the comparisons between Dubai and these three cities in Britain for a one-bedroom, city-center apartment on average.

Dubai vs. the UK: Average Rent Price for a 1-Bedroom Apartment in the City Center
Dubai London Birmingham Liverpool
£1,349.66 28% more than Dubai 42.3% less than Dubai 47.3% less than Dubai

Here are the comparisons between Dubai and the same British cities for a cheap one-bedroom apartment on average.

Dubai vs. the UK: Average Rent Price for a Cheap 1-Bedroom Apartment
Dubai London Birmingham Liverpool
£853.03 56.5% more than Dubai 26.4% less than Dubai 44.7% less than Dubai

This table shows the comparisons of the average price for a three-bedroom apartment in the city center of Dubai versus the average price for a three-bedroom apartment in the city center of select cities in England.

Dubai vs. the UK: Average Rent Price for a 3-Bedroom Apartment in the City Center
Dubai London Birmingham Liverpool
£2,714.81 39.7% more than Dubai 45.7% less than Dubai 47.1% less than Dubai

Below, you will find the comparisons between the average price for a cheap three-bedroom apartment in Dubai compared to select cities in Great Britain.

Dubai vs. the UK: Average Rent Price for a Cheap 3-Bedroom Apartment
Dubai London Birmingham Liverpool
£1,821.50 29.6% more than Dubai 48.8% less than Dubai 60.1% less than Dubai

To discover more tips and advice about living in Dubai as a British Citizen, read this article about living in Dubai after the UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does rent cost each month in Dubai?

The average monthly cost of rent in Dubai for a city-center, one-bedroom apartment is AED 6,398.31. That’s $1,742 in US dollars, $2,373.78 in Canadian dollars, €1,371, and £1,349.66. A three-bedroom apartment costs AED 12,870.07 per month on average.

Is 3000 AED a good salary for living in Dubai?

3000 AED might seem like a decent summary. However, the UAE isn’t the cheapest and 3000 AED might not be enough for housing and accommodations as property rentals is one of the main expenses in the UAE.

Conclusion

Dubai has high average rent prices. Rent prices in the entire UAE are less expensive than in Dubai on average. However, Dubai has lower average rent prices than expensive major cities like New York and London.

Aside from property rentals, your health and well-being abroad is one factor that should not be overlooked. For further reading on medical insurance for expats in Dubai, please check out this page for more information.

As an experienced international health insurance broker with over 20 years of experience, Pacific Prime has helped both expats and local citizens find health insurance plans that match both their budget range and unique healthcare needs.

Whether you’re an expat living in Dubai or a local citizen yourself, our team of specialists will be more than happy to help you out with impartial advice at no additional cost. If you have any further questions, please get in touch with us or get a free quote here.

Head of Content at Pacific Prime
Serena Fung is the Head of Content at Pacific Prime, a global insurance brokerage and employee specialist serving over 1.5 million clients in 15 offices across the world. With 6+ years of experience writing about the subject, she aims to demystify the world of insurance for readers with the latest updates, guides and articles on the blog.

Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).

Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.
Serena Fung