The official currency of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates is the dirham. This is also the currency of other Arab countries, such as Morocco.
The Emirati dirham is abbreviated AED. It is divided into 1 dirham and 50 and 25 fils coins. All coins have the image of an Arab coffee pot. There are bills of 5, 10, 20 ,50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 dirhams (the latter I don’t think you will see). However, in Dubai almost everything can be paid for by card, so you can go for days without having to touch cash.
In many sectors, prices are slightly higher than in big Spanish cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Of course, gasoline is ridiculously cheap (€0.50/liter). According to Expatistan, the cost of living in Dubai is 27% more expensive than in Spain (which is my home country).
Common doubts about Emirati currency
Other currencies are not generally accepted in the Emirates. You have to pay in Dubai currency, but you can easily exchange dollars and euros, but not pay with them in stores.
If you have dollars, take them, but if you have to exchange them, it is not worth it. The euro is also a very easy currency to exchange and with a good conversion rate. All Latin American currencies are also exchanged, but they may not give you an advantageous exchange rate.
No, you do not need to obtain dirhams before traveling. They are easily exchanged upon arrival.
The airport is the first place where you can exchange, although with a less advantageous exchange rate. Shopping malls have many exchange houses with good exchange rates.
You can withdraw dirhams from all ATMs in the country with an American Express, Visa or Mastercard.
All banks charge a fee for the use of cards. To minimize the impact of the exchange rate and commissions, I recommend a Revolut card that applies the cheapest exchange rates on the market. With this link they give you euros for opening your account.
Of course, Dubai’s economy is totally adapted to card payments. You will see almost no cash. Visa, Mastercard and American Express debit and credit cards are accepted.
Attention! Sometimes you need to activate the payment abroad before starting your trip with your bank (in the app, by phone or in person).
Dubai is a very safe emirate. A tip I usually give is to use prepaid cards that do not have access to your main account. You can use a Revolut card where you top up a limited budget and spend it during the trip.
How much does it cost in Dubai?
- Coffee: 12 dirhams
- Meal: 80 dirhams
- Public transport ticket: from 4 dirhams (double in Gold Class)
- One liter of petrol: 3 dirhams
- One day of car rental: 120 dirhams
Do you want to plan a trip on your own?
These are some tools to help you prepare for your travel from home. Leave your questions in the comment section below and I will get back to you. It’s just about time to start planning your next holidays!
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