Cost of living is the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living. Changes in the cost of living over time are often operationalized in a cost of living index. Cost of living calculations are also used to compare the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living in different geographic areas. Geographic differences in cost of living can be measured in terms of purchasing power parity rates.
One of the most topical subjects regarding the UAE concerns the cost of living. The Economist Intelligence Unit placed Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the 71st and 82nd most expensive cities in the world to live and Mercer HR Consulting placed them at 25th and 30th respectively. The cost of living in Dubai has increased rapidly, and the same is occurring in Abu Dhabi more recently. The cost of living is sure to increase over the coming years, most probably due to accommodation. While rent, on its own, should account for at least 50% of your cost of living (though official cpi figures place it at between 30% and 40%), we felt it important to look at other goods and services available. We have thus put together a spreadsheet of data so that you are able to calculate your own cost of living, should you come to the UAE.
There are numerous cost of living indicators available, including those of the Economist and Mercer which are notable for providing cost of living comparisons between baskets of goods internationally. Although this is particularly useful, we have gone out on the street to find out actual prices of certain goods and services, so that you are able to compare against actual products in your home countries. These providers, although far superior in their offering, charge an arm and a leg for their information. While most cost of living surveys charge for such da ...