Dubai can be a city of extremes – whether it’s the temperature, the buildings or the prices.
But you don’t always have to spend a fortune to have a good time, in fact, there’s plenty of joy to be had in a good bargain.
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Perhaps you’ve rummaged down the sofa looking for the remote and happened to find a Dhs10 note down the back but have no idea what to do with your newfound riches.
Well, gather all that change together because we’re gonna help you figure out what uniquely Dubai things you can do with Dhs10 or less.
Budget Dubai: Al Seef Street Market
How’s your haggling? You can test your skills for bargains here on a wide range of items including clothing. You can even grab a traditional kaftan for Dhs10 at one market on Old Street by the Creek. It’s a great place to explore in general for souvenirs, affordable fashion and street food.
Free. Al Seef Street Market
Budget Dubai: Be bowled over by bargain arcade games
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An old-school activity at an old-school price. That’s right, every Monday at the Dubai Bowling Centre arcade games and rides cost you only Dhs1 per turn. So if you’ve got one game you’re incredible at, that could be hours and hours of fun for the change weighing you down in your pocket. The promotion was introduced last summer at the Al Quoz venue and has continued into this year.
Dhs1 per turn. Every Monday. Dubai Bowling Centre, Al Quoz.
Budget Dubai: Board an Abra in Dubai
Get on board an abra to cross between old and new Dubai in style. Take in all the sights of the big city on one of these bad boys from only Dhs1. Abras are typically able to hold around 20 passengers with around 150 boats working between Deira and Bur Dubai from 6am every day. If you want to hop on an air-conditioned Abra then it’ll cost double at Dhs2 per trip. And if you want to set off from Dubai Marina it’s Dhs5. Not bad at all.
From Dhs1 (per trip). 6am-midnight daily. Dubai Creek.
Budget Dubai: Travel back in time at Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood
If you want to spend an afternoon feeling like you’ve stepped back in time, then a trip to Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood is a great way to get a glimpse of old Dubai. You’ll find buildings made of coral, stone, mud and wood in an area dedicated to preserving Emirati culture. It’s completely free to explore but there are plenty of gift shops, galleries and venues which do charge fees.
Free. Al Fahidi Street, Bur Dubai
Budget Dubai: Get a bag of snacks
Some may call them chips, others may call them crisps but whatever they are they’re a great little snack. Chips Oman and Emirates Pofaki can still be bought for around Dhs1 at the time of writing though it is getting harder to track down at that price.
Dhs1-Dhs2. Union Co-op
Budget Dubai: Get to Global Village
Priced at just Dhs10, it’d be silly not to use the bus if you want to explore the Global Village. There are regular bus routes every hour during the season when the site is open. There are 27 pavilions representing 78 nations and loads of fun-filled rides. Entry to the village starts from Dhs22.50 so it’s still an affordable day out.
What you need to do is take route 102 from Al Rashdiya Bus Station, route 103 from the Union Bus Station, route 104 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station and route 106 from the Mall of the Emirates Bus Station.
Dhs10. globalvillage.ae
Budget Dubai: Drink a cup of Karak Chai Tea
Can you hear that? That noise in the distance is the sound of a Dubai old-timer saying it used to be 50 fils back in the day. Now, with inflation, the chances of getting your hands on the Desi delicacy for Dhs1 are getting lower and lower with each passing day, but we’re reliably informed that you can still grab a cup of the good stuff in Dubai essentially for free at Koukh Al Shay in Qusais. If you’re new to Dubai then this is a great sweet tea to try.
From Dhs1. Koukh Al Shay, Qusais. @koukhalshay
Budget Dubai: Take the kids to Majlis Al Ghorfat Um Al Sheef
This is a very pocket-friendly little day out for the family with tickets for kids as low as Dhs1 while it’s Dhs3 for adults. Majlis Al Ghorfat Um Al Sheef was built in 1955 as a summer residence of the late Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. The house is made of gypsum and coral rock, with a date palm frond roof and wind tower.
Dhs1 (children under six), Dhs3 (adults). 8am – 10pm daily. 17 Street, off Jumeirah Beach Road (04 426 0000)
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Budget Dubai: Ride the Dubai Metro
You can travel all across the city on the Dubai Metro with a single ticket for as little as Dhs8.50. If it’s ever quiet on board, you can watch the city go by, take in the architecture and marvel at how the city changes from old to new. You could also just stare at the floor and wait to get to your stop, your call.
From Dhs4. All over Dubai. rta.ae
Budget Dubai: Sample street food
Dubai is home to expats from all across the world which is all part of the charm of what makes it such a diverse, wonderful place to live. And with such a wide range of nationalities comes an equally wide range of cuisines including great grab-and-go bites. In our street food of Dubai guide, we showed you exactly where and what you could get with loose change. Particular bargains to look out for include shawarma for as little as Dhs9, samosa for Dhs1.50 and –of course – karak chai for as low as Dhs1.
From Dhs1.
Budget Dubai: Shop for Dhs10 or less at Mumuso
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The East Asian brand has 22 stores dotted around Dubai where you’re able to get your hands on a cute, kitsch bargain for under Dhs10. Products range from cosmetics, toys and even fashion.
Across Dubai, mumuso.ae
Budget Dubai: Visit the Jumeirah Archaeological Site
In a city obsessed with AI and robots, it’s a nice change of pace to see something which dates back to as early as the Abbasid period – around the 9th century. You can get a real perspective of the old and new Dubai as the site also has a remarkable view of the Dubai skyline. It was once home to a mosque and residential housing which are no longer visible.
Free. Al Wasl Street, Jumeirah 2.
Budget Dubai: Walk around a park
There are plenty of great parks in Dubai to have a walk around. Some of them charge fees and some don’t. Some of the most lush greenery can be found at Safa Park where entry is Dhs3. The park is Dubai’s oldest having been built in 1975. You can explore secret gardens, play sports enjoy peaceful views of the Dubai skyline. Elsewhere in the city, you can try Zabeel Park for Dhs5 which is home to the Dubai Frame. If you position yourself well then you can get great views of old and new Dubai without having to buy a Dhs50 ticket to the landmark.
From Dhs3. Safa Park or Zabeel Park.
Budget Dubai: Watch camels race in Al Marmoum
All this will cost is some precious time in bed as races usually start early in the morning from between 6am and 9am. You don’t even need Dhs1 to watch the racing at Al Marmoum as watching on is completely free for this unusual sport. Races run regularly between December and March.
Free. Call for timings. Al Marmoum Camel Racetrack, Dubai-Al Ain Road (04 832 6526).
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