What budget to travel à Abu Dhabi? Money and currency

The cost of living in the Emirates is about the same as in Paris and luxury is very present. Shopping is a local sport and good deals are possible in designer brands. If hotels during the high tourist season are on the rise, conversely you will find interesting prices out of season. Car rentals and especially public transportation are cheaper than in France.

What budget for activities and outings à Abu Dhabi?

First and foremost, download the Visit Abu Dhabi application(https://visitabudhabi.ae/fr). This is the official application of the Abu Dhabi Culture and Tourism Authority. All the latest news, prices, schedules are there.

Affordable: All museums are very affordable. Various modern art exhibitions can be seen for free at the Cultural Foundation or on Saadiyat Island

Reasonable: guided tours. The French-speaking guides listed in our guidebook are reasonably priced, but they are few in number.

Expensive: All of the city's theme parks and landmarks are expensive and require a certain budget.

Passes: to keep expenses under control, Abu Dbabi offers a summer pass with several activities included. Visit https://visit abudhabi.ae/en/campaign/summer-pass

While it's easiest from October to April, there are many sports you can do all year round in Abu Dhabi without breaking the bank: walking, jogging, biking, horseback riding, tennis, padel tennis, golf, basketball, jiu-jitsu, rock climbing, swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, surfing, kiteboarding, and more are just some of the free or very affordable activities you can do in Abu Dhabi. So we've put together a list with all the tours, places to practice them and where to rent bikes.

Prices are often excellent compared to those abroad, especially for carpets, textiles and gold. You can pay almost everywhere with your credit card. Is it possible to bargain? In the souks, of course you can and don't be afraid, it is the custom. In the shopping malls, don't hesitate to ask, because sometimes there is some leeway if it is not an international brand. You will find the best deals in the many souks of the old city or in Al Ain and also on the website http://abudhabi.dubizzle.com

You need to have a certain budget to go out at night, but good news for the girls, because the ladies night allow you to get away with a lot of discounts and even drink without paying. To know where, when and how, go to the web page: www.bestbitesuae.com/events/ladies-nights

What budget to eat à Abu Dhabi?

To eat on a budget, head to the old Abu Dhabi neighborhoods or to Al Ain or Liwa where you will find many kebabs and shawarmas. Alternatively, in the different areas of Abu Dhabi city and its malls, you will also manage to find some food trucks and restaurants that are not too expensive. The best thing to do is to go for non-alcoholic meals, because then the price can double. If you want to experience all the delights of Abu Dhabi's gastronomy, choose restaurants at lunchtime rather than in the evening: gourmet lunch menus are available for around 30 euros. Between 4pm and 6pm, it's often happy hour with two-for-one drinks! The range of great restaurants in Abu Dhabi is stratospheric but so are the prices in the evening!

Abu Dhabi is expensive, even for a coffee. Hotel bars are particularly expensive because of the high taxes on alcohol. Everywhere you can pay with a credit card and you can leave a tip of around 5-10%, although this is by no means a requirement.

What is the budget for accommodation à Abu Dhabi?

Where to stay in Abu Dhabi for a relatively competitive price? Definitely in the central areas (WTC, Hamdam Center, Abu Dhabi Mall, Mina) and around the bridges (Reem Island, Mariah Island, Saadiyat Island, Al Rayyana, Golf Gardens, Al Raha, Al Reef, Yas Island...). We have prepared a list of the best hotels for you. In all hotels, a certain number of taxes are added to the price, so it is important to check that the price indicated is net. Otherwise, here are the details of the taxes applied in Abu Dhabi: 14% municipal tax plus 10% service tax and 5% VAT, which adds up to 29% to the quoted price and AED 15 per room and night.

Travel budget à Abu Dhabi and cost of living

The cost of living in the Emirates is about 20% higher than in France, except for transportation. Three categories will increase the cost of your vacation: accommodation, restaurants and especially alcohol. Be aware that hotel prices vary greatly between high and low season, but especially the location of the hotel in the city. Indeed, the hotels on the seaside are always very expensive. You can find luxury hotels with excellent value for money in areas further away from the coast. As far as restaurants are concerned, you can eat very well and for very little money in Indian, Pakistani and Levantine restaurants of course, but also in Al Ain or Liwa. What makes the bill soar is the alcohol, which is imposed by very high taxes. Bargaining is a time-honored tradition in the souks of the Arab world and particularly in Abu Dhabi. With a little negotiation, starting prices can sometimes be cut in half. However, it is important to note that once a price has been verbally agreed upon, the customer is assumed to be buying. To anticipate a budget from November to April per day, here are our recommendations as a guideline:

Small budget.

Count 800 AED per day per person (about 200 €), including accommodation in 3 star hotels, meals in Indian or Pakistani restaurants, public transportation, some cabs and visits.

Average budget.

AED 1,600 per day per person (about €400), accommodation in 4-star hotels, meals in fast food restaurants, tours, cabs and some activities.

Big budget. It's hard to say because in Abu Dhabi, there are no limits, but let's say that if you want to stay in the big hotels on the seafront, you need to count at least AED 4,000 per day per person (about €1,000), with good restaurants, shopping, cab rides, visits and fun activities like spas, private clubs. This is an average budget in the big budgets