How much does it cost to live in Dubai? The internet considers the Indian couple's ₹3.6 million cost 'very realistic'

An Indian couple living in Dubai has gone viral after sharing a detailed breakdown of their monthly household expenses, saying they spend between AED 13,000 and AED 14,000 (approx. ₹3.34 million crowns ₹3.6 million) every month on fixed costs.

The couple, who posts on Instagram under the username @vis_and_vadapav, clarified that the estimate does not include expenses such as vacations, luxury shopping, fine dining and other discretionary spending. Their video has sparked widespread discussion on social media, with many users saying the figures paint a more realistic picture of the cost of living in Dubai than commonly shared estimates.

EMI accounts for the largest share of monthly expenses

In the video, the couple says their biggest monthly expense is an EMI of 6,000 dirhams, which works out to roughly ₹1.5 million.

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In addition, they will spend 1,500 dirhams (approx ₹39,000) every month for utilities.

The couple explained that while they occasionally cook at home, they mostly eat out. As a result, their monthly grocery bill is relatively modest at 500 dirhams (approx ₹13,000), while the restaurant costs a total of around 1,500 dirhams (approx ₹39,000).

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Commuting daily adds significantly to costs

Transport is another significant component of their monthly budget.

According to her husband, she spends around 1700 dirhams (approx ₹44,000) every month on his car, including petrol, parking and Salik tolls.

His wife, who travels from Dubai to Abu Dhabi several times a week for work, said her commute costs between 1,700 and 2,000 dirhams (roughly ₹44,000 up to ₹51,000) every month.

The couple is also counting on 250 dirhams (approx ₹6,000) for weekly cleaning and set aside an additional 1,000 dirhams (approx. ₹26,000) for miscellaneous expenses.

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After adding up these recurring costs, they reported their fixed monthly expenses to be 13,000-14,000 dirhams, or roughly ₹3.34 million crowns ₹3.6 million.

Travel and luxury expenses are not included

The couple emphasized that the total they shared only reflected their regular monthly commitments.

In the caption of the video they wrote:

“Here’s what it costs us as a couple living in Dubai… Please note: These are almost fixed monthly expenses – Any fancy dinners, activities are on top of this!”

The clarification emphasized that vacation expenses, premium purchases or other lifestyle indulgences were not part of the calculation.

Social media users say the numbers reflect reality

The video quickly gained attention online, with many users comparing the couple’s budget to their own experiences living in the UAE.

Several commentators said the breakdown was a more accurate representation of day-to-day spending than the numbers often circulated on social media.

“Thankfully someone told the truth about the average spend, I don’t know how ppl are giving false information to the viewers by stating the full cost of AED 400-500.”

Another simply commented: “Very realistic.”

A third user took the opportunity to ask the couple about the Dubai Golden Visa program, writing: “Hi, very informative. I’m happy. Help, did you get a golden visa for property investment? I’ve seen a few posts saying the basic salary needs to be 30k a month to apply for a golden visa – is that true?”

The video has since sparked conversations about the true cost of living in Dubai, especially among Indians planning to move to the UAE or those curious about the expenses associated with living in one of the region’s most popular expat destinations.