Merchants and shopping
The salespeople here are like smiling customer service robots, but without the metallic sound. Payment is handled with thanks and greetings – it almost feels like you get a good feeling about the transaction.
Of course, there are also those merchants who try to attract people into the store, a bit like Egypt. But the difference is huge: in Egypt it is aggressive, here it is more like “sales training”. The bottom line: you smile, he smiles, and no one is forcing you to buy a sandcastle.
Price tip: As long as you find the right grocery store, the prices are so low that even a student’s budget will thank you. For example, a bottle of water can cost only 1 dirham (approx. €0.25), and fresh fruit can be bought by the kilo for a few euros.
Traffic and the city
The traffic flows smoothly, the streets are clean and the highways are in good condition – a Finn could almost take a picture and send it to his home municipality as a model. Traffic lights are not only visible on the poles but also on the ground, so you can no longer claim “I didn’t see the light”.
There are fewer parks in old Dubai, but there are some. When you find it, you can sit down and eat like a picnic king. Just remember to take the trash away – cleanliness is a matter of honor here.
People and atmosphere
On the street and in the shops, people smile as if there is a national competition to see who looks the happiest. There are hardly any homeless people, nor alcoholics or drug addicts. Instead, you’ll see singers on bikes and serenaders on foot and that’s just a bonus!
Prices and cost of living
This is where Dubai surprises:
– Tourist trips: trips to the desert or boat cruises start from 20–30 € → suitable for the budget.
– Local transport: a metro ticket costs around €1 → cheaper than coffee in Finland.
– Electronics: often 10–20% cheaper than in Europe. (In some places you can find it even cheaper)
– Food: shawarma from the street €2–3, restaurant dinner €10–15 → plenty of choice for all wallets.
The only “boss level” is housing.
Hotels and rental apartments eat money like ham on the Christmas table eats mustard. But if you search properly, there are also budget-friendly options: hostels and Airbnb rooms from €25-€40 per night. This is usually the starting price, but you can also find cheaper ones, but you may have to spend more time searching.
The city and the party atmosphere
Dubai at Christmas is like a light show where every house competes in brightness. The Christmas lights twinkle, Santa Claus is out with his elves, and yes , there are reindeer and Christmas trees.
Alcohol is only available in bars or with a license, so if you want your mulled wine, get it well in advance. But don’t worry: the mocktails and fresh juices are so good and cheap (2–4 €) that you don’t necessarily miss the wine.
Final result
Dubai is like a cheat code for resorts:
– friendly people
– cheap prices as long as you look for the right places
– clean streets and light traffic
– a Christmas atmosphere that makes you forget the darkness of Finland
Summary: Dubai is suitable for all budgets – from student to luxury traveller. You can eat shawarma for a couple of euros or have dinner at the top of a skyscraper for a hundred. The choice is yours, but a smile comes on top of the deal.
You can also follow us here:
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSHT39wcegD3q-jHO9B/
https://x.com/JaMa_Venturez?t=X26iowONkjoSWT35ciUZdQ&s=08
https://www.instagram.com/jama_ventures?igsh=enExMmpzdDhyb3Z5
https://www.facebook.com/share/18aS43taV8/
And you can make donate here if you want to:
Leave a Reply