Dubai: what it costs to live the high life
03 October 2016
Living the high life
Where else in the world could you find a hotel with a built-in rainforest or brunch that costs more than most people’s monthly rent? We round up some of the most incredible ways you can spend a lot of money in Dubai.
Indoor theme park ticket: Dhs300 ($82/£63)
Although Dubai isn’t short of entertainment, a new indoor amusement park has been opened costing around Dhs3.67 billion ($1bn/£770m) to build. It's not just any old theme park though: the park has a Marvel Comics-themed zone, a 3D ride and a haunted hotel for visitors over the age of 15.
Sandwich: Dhs309 ($84/£64)
We all love sandwiches, but would you be willing to pay Dhs309 ($84/£64) for one? This is the cost of Dubai’s most expensive sandwich, which is cooked by Michelin-starred chef Michel Rostang and consists of two slices of plain white bread, a little butter and a tiny sprinkling of black Perigord truffles (which usually sell at $100/£78 per ounce).
Pizza: Dhs441 ($120/£92)
Equally, pizza fans could splash out on the wood-fired lobster and truffle pizza at the 3rd Avenue Café in the Dubai Mall. You’re probably spotting a trend here, in that you do in fact pay for the cost of the truffle rather than the dough. Add to that some lobster and you’ve got yourself a pretty pricey pizza.
Restaurant: Dhs591 ($161/£123)
At.mosphere, the world’s highest restaurant, serves up a Dhs121 ($33/£25) bowl of soup, a Dhs184 ($50/£38) tomato and pepper confit and a Dhs591 ($161/£123) serving of lobsters.
Round of golf: Dhs995 ($271/£207)
Whoever said the perfect round of golf is priceless clearly hasn’t been to the Majlis course at the Emirates Golf Club, where a round will set you back Dhs995 ($271/£207). However, it is considered to be one of the finest courses in the region and you’ll be treading on the same soil as the likes of Ernie Els and Tiger Woods.
Crystal membership to the indoor ski park: Dhs1,010 ($275/£212)
Among the biggest tourist attractions in Dubai has to be its indoor ski park. The impressive park covers a whopping 22,500 square meters and includes a 60-meter mountain with five slopes of varying difficulties. The park also features a climbing tower, toboggan runs and snow park.
Desert safari: Dhs1,500 ($408/£314)
If you want to get away from the city, you can splash out on a luxury desert safari through Platinum Heritage that will take you through the desert in Range Rovers, with a private setting for a six-course dinner.
Brunch: Dhs2,500 ($681/£522)
Brunch is popular all over the world. In Dubai you can be tempted by the Royale Brunch at the Imperium restaurant – which comes with a bottle of Dom Perignon and Beluga caviar – for almost Dhs2,500 ($681/£522).
Ice cream: Dhs3,000 ($816/£629)
Presenting the most expensive ice cream in the world, made from black Italian truffles, Iranian saffron and Madagascar vanilla from organic pods. The ‘Black Diamond’ ice cream, served at Scoopi Café in the city, is also served with 23-carat gold flakes and served in a Versace bowl with Versace silver spoon, which anyone who orders the scoop can keep (as you would expect for the price tag).
Cocktail: Dhs27,321 ($7,400/£5,645)
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It’s a lot, sure. But this cocktail – made with Macallan 55-year-old malt whisky, homemade passionfruit sugar and ice cubes made using water from the Macallan distillery in Scotland – is also served in an 18-carat gold glass that you can keep. Your round?
The golden tablet: Dhs37,466 ($10,200/£7,800)
You’d think that for Dhs37,466 ($10,200,£8,000) for an iPad, you’d be given free Pokémons on Pokémon Go or a free pass to level 90 of Candy Crush, but sadly not. This 24-carat 64GB iPad can also be found at the Burj al Arab and is available for guests to use during their stay.
Spa treatment: Dhs91,800 ($25,000/£19,000)
Talking of all things golden, while in Dubai you can treat yourself to a 24-carat gold facial at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray’s spa.
Pricey bubbly: Dhs500,000 ($136,000/£103,000)
Champagne is never cheap, especially if you’re looking for a bottle at the higher end of the scale. And, as you can imagine, Dubai really knows how to do good quality, high-end bubbly. A six-liter bottle of Cristal Millenium 6l will set you back Dhs500,000 ($136,000/£103,000) at the Cavalli Club.
Diamond car: Dhs18 million ($4.8m/£3.70)
Elsewhere on the roads, you're likely to see some pretty pricey cars, including this diamond Mercedez Benz SL600. It’s covered with 300,000 beautiful diamonds, so you can see why the price is so high. Don’t worry though, if you can’t afford it, you can always opt to pay Dhs3,673 ($1,000/£770) just to touch it.
Mobile home: Dhs11 million ($3.3m/£2.5m)
You might have seen some impressive motor homes in your time, but this one is guaranteed to trump them all. Marchi Mobile’s Element Palazzo is extravagantly furnished, featuring a fireplace, rooftop balcony, a king-sized bed and underfloor heating. To add to that, at the touch of a bottom the entire vehicle can be converted into a lounge with a cocktail bar and fancy lighting.
Stay in a hotel with a rainforest and aquarium: TBC
The new, five-star Rosemont Hotel and Residences is due to be built in 2018 and will reportedly cost around Dhs1.1bn ($304m/£230m). It will be operated by Hilton Worldwide, with 450 rooms and a rooftop infinity pool. The best thing about it? It will also have its own indoor rainforest and aquarium.
Royal Suite at the Burj Al Arab: Dhs48,000 ($13,000/£10,000)
This incredible hotel in Dubai, which stands at 321 meters high, is the fourth tallest hotel in the world. The building is situated on its own artificial island, which obviously just adds to its awesomeness.
Palm Island home: Dhs38 million ($10m/£7.7m)
Palm Island in Dubai is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Created with such architectural intelligence that it has been given the title of one of the wonders of the world. As you can see, it’s an entirely manmade island, shaped like a palm tree, that has become one of the most aspiring real estate developments in the world. And to live here will cost you a cool Dhs38 million ($10m/£7.7m).
Palm Island home
Buying a house here can cost anywhere up to and sometimes even beyond Dhs40 million ($11m/£8m), but remains one of the most sought after postcodes in the world. And just imagine living there.
World's most expensive number plate: Dhs52.2 million ($14.3m)
Based on the fact Dubai is home to diamond cars and Lamborghini cop cars, it probably won't come as a surprise that personalised number plates are pretty popular in the city. The most expensive number plate in the world is owned by Saeed Abdul Ghafouri, who paid Dhs52.2 million ($14.3/£11m) for the local license plate labeled "1".
Apartment at the Burj Khalifa: Dhs102 million ($28m/£22m)
We’ve been building up to this one; the tallest skyscraper/manmade structure in the world. At 830 meters tall, the skyscraper cost Dhs5.5 billion ($1.5bn/£1.15bn) to build over six years. The building is home to some of the best restaurants, shops and entertainment complexes in the world, as well as the world’s most prestigious home address. An apartment costs Dhs102 million ($28m/£22m).
Apartment at the Burj Khalifa: Dhs102 million ($28m/£22m)
Buying an apartment here will cost anywhere from Dhs2 million ($540/£416), up to Dhs102 million ($28m/£22m). But just imagine the views from the top of there, and having everything you need in the same building.
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