Dubai's cost of living in 2025

Living in Dubai may be cheaper than you think, unless you shop at Waitrose! Here's a comparison of the price of 3 everyday items across 8 grocery chains in Dubai.

Prices compared (USD, GBP and EUR)

To provide more meaningful comparison across stores, prices shown exclude promotions and multi-buy deals. NA stands for 'not available' and OB stands for 'own brand' when no brand product was available.

In US dollars

Note: the exchange rate between the US dollar and the UAE Dirham is fixed, whereby USD 1 = AED 3.6725.

In British pounds

Note: the exchange rate between the US dollar and the British pound is variable. At the time of writing, GBP 1 = AED 4.5590.

In euros

Note: the exchange rate between the US dollar and the euro pound is variable. At the time of writing, EUR 1 = AED 3.8443.

Dubai's main supermarket chains

Here's a review of Dubai's leading supermarkets, ranked in approximate order from the most to the least expensive.

Waitrose

Waitrose is a British supermarket chain with a reputation for quality produce and customer service. It's also known its selection of cooked meats, seafood, and salads from its delicatessen counters. You'll find Waitrose supermarkets in Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai, the DIFC, the Palm and other upmarket neighbourhoods.

Spinneys

Established in 1962 in Dubai's Old Town, Spinneys has a rich local heritage. In fact, its inaugural customer was the then ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Spinneys positions itself as a direct competitor to Waitrose, with high-quality produce available across its meat, fish, and deli counters.

West Zone

West Zone is a go-to destination for Filipino flavours. It also has a large selection of European and Asian foods, fresh fish, meat, personal care items, and household goods. Several of its outlets stay open 24 hours a day.

Grandiose Supermarket

Grandiose Supermarket specialises in fresh produce and personal care items. Its stores, reminiscent of Waitrose and Spinneys in style, offer an array of 'food to go' options, including freshly cooked pizzas made to order in most locations. You can order through via its website and app, but its online range is more limited than its in-store selection.

Union Coop

Established in 1982 by ministerial decree, Union Coop is the UAE's largest consumer cooperative. Union Coop's offering spans fresh food, personal care products, pet care items, and household appliances. It also has an extensive selection of locally sourced organic vegetables. Union Coop manages 20 branches and 4 malls, with several located in proximity to Dubai Metro stations.

Carrefour

Carrefour, a globally recognized French retail brand, has a significant footprint in Dubai across a variety of store formats. This includes neighbourhood corner shops, supermarkets, and a flagship hypermarket located in the Mall of the Emirates (MoE).

Carrefour's MoE hypermarket stores a wide range of products, from groceries to apparel, and appliances. It also accepts US Dollars, Euros, British Pounds as well as currencies from Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) for payment.

Loyalty points accrued in other countries aren't transferable as Carrefour operates under a franchise model in the UAE.

Lulu Hypermarket

Lulu Hypermarket is a close competitor to Carrefour, offering an extensive range of products across food, apparel, and appliances. Its flagship store, also located near the Mall of the Emirates, is a popular destination. Additionally, smaller Lulu supermarkets and corner shops are dotted around Dubai, with a focus on the historic Bur Dubai and Deira neighbourhoods.

Viva Supermarket

Viva is a discount supermarket chain established in 2018. Its business model is akin to European discounters like Aldi and Lidl, with a focus on competitively priced own-brand products. You'll find Viva stores in Dubai Marina, Al Barsha, Bur Dubai, and Deira. Stores observe prayer times, with closures between 11 am and 1 pm, but are otherwise open from 8:30 am until late.