How to save on a long-term trip

Dubai impresses tourists with its luxury and rich life of the locals. Previously, not everyone could afford to live in the UAE for even two weeks. But thanks to our life hacks, you can enjoy your vacation in Dubai, driving from one attraction to another, eating delicious local food and shopping in malls.

Budget-friendly strategies for your Dubai travel

Here are some tips on how not to spend a fortune on a vacation in Dubai:

• Travel in the low season. It is cheaper to relax in Dubai in the summer, when prices can be several times lower than in winter.
• Use discounts from travel agencies.
• Exchange currency in Dubai shopping malls. They offer more profitable course than banks and hotels.
• Rent a car. You will not depend on the public transport schedule and will spend exactly as much as you drive if you opt for reliable company such as Octane Car Rental Dubai.
• Use free internet and local SIM cards.
• Visit free attractions. Every evening, the Dubai Mall hosts free spectacular fountain performances using music and light.
• Eat in local cafes.

Cutting costs on accommodation

Thanks to the huge number of inexpensive hotels, a vacation in the city can be spent without much damage to your budget. If you travel with a large company or family, you can save money on accommodation by booking an apartment or villa on Airbnb, and having a kitchen in a rented apartment will allow you to spend less on food. In addition, you can always find a reasonably priced hotel outside the central areas.

Affordable car rentals

By renting a car, you can save your money:

1. There are many interesting places that must be visited, despite the fact that the prices for excursions in this country “bite”, and their quality is not always at a high level. In addition, it usually takes a lot of time to collect tourists at hotels, and all sorts of unnecessary shops imposed by travel agencies on the way, instead of spending more time on the most important thing.
2. The opportunity not to depend on anyone, to move independently around the country, to stay in any place we like, for the time we need.
3. Low cost of renting a car. At the same time, most rental cars are new, in perfect condition, very often people get a rental car with a mileage of 500, 1000, 2000 km.
4. Cheap gasoline. The price is very pleasant, especially compared to European countries.
5. The traffic rules are intuitive. The country is non-alcoholic, there are no drunks on the roads, drivers behave adequately.
6. Most hotels have free parking for guests. In some cases, you park the car yourself, and in some you need to bring the car to the entrance, and the doorman will put the car himself. There are also a lot of convenient free parking in Dubai itself (in shopping malls, near beaches).

How to rent a car in Dubai

It is important to make sure in advance that you have all necessary documents and permits. We recommend checking the details immediately before the trip, as the rules may change.

• International Driving Permit: citizens of the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada do not need an IDP to rent a car in Dubai, a national driver’s license is sufficient. Citizens of other countries must have a valid international driver’s license. Check with the rental company in advance what documents you will need to rent a car.
• Age: persons at least 21 years old can rent a car.
• Credit card: in most cases, a credit card is required to pay the rent. All additional expenses that may arise during the car rental period (for example, traffic fines or administrative fees) are also charged to this credit card.
• Insurance: according to local legislation, third-party liability insurance is included in the rental price of all cars by default. Some travel policies also cover car rental insurance. However, in most cases, rental companies offer to arrange additional insurance for a fee. When signing a contract at the rental station, the cost of the insurance policy is much higher, so we recommend planning in advance to avoid unnecessary expenses.
• Trips outside the UAE: keep in mind that in order to travel by rented car to the territory of neighbouring countries, it is often necessary to obtain permission from the rental company. Most companies do not provide such permission. We advise you to think carefully about the entire route before renting a car.

How to dine well on a dime in Dubai

Knowing inexpensive local cafes, you can try delicious local food without spending a lot of money.

You will spend hardly more than 10 dirhams for lunch in Karama, Bur Dubai and Deira districts. Ravi Restaurant serves delicious Pakistani dishes, while Al Ustad Special Kebab serves authentic Iranian kebabs. There are outlets of international fast food chains in local shopping centers, where you can also have a tasty and inexpensive snack.

Shawarma Hut is a chain of restaurants specializing in shawarma. The average check at Shawarma Hut is about 18 dirhams. Another fast food restaurant chain, Subway, offers inexpensive sandwiches and snacks to tourists within 25 dirhams , and the average check at Burger King, KFC and McDonald’s is 20 dirhams.

Free and low-cost activities

Dubai’s free attractions include:

• Camel Museum;
• Ras Al Khor Nature Reserve;
• Laser show Imagine;
• Madinat Jumeirah;
• Fort Al-Fahidi;
• Coffee museum;
• Coin Museum;
• Jumeirah Mosque;
• Gold market.

Shopping

You can bring down the price of a product only by paying in cash. Therefore, when you go to the market, exchange bills. And also try to smile more — this way you can win over an Arab.

Do not rush to leave all your money in one shopping centre or in one boutique. Take a walk through markets, visit several malls, look at prices. And then come back for the thing you like.

Go shopping in Dubai in the middle of the month. Local residents are given a salary at the beginning and at the end of each month, which they immediately go to spend. Therefore, it will be crowded in shopping malls and markets.

In Dubai, it is not customary to put all the goods on display. Therefore, if you liked something, be sure to clarify whether there are other sizes and colours available.