Millhouse

Is it just me, or are we really seeing some inflation in the UAE right now?

I don't actually have that many expenses here but what I do spend seems to be going up a lot. I feel this in the supermarkets and some of the restaurants... here is my favourite example:

My salad in the the DIFC was previously 32dh at Taqado, then they started cutting the portions which was annoying as it just wasn't enough. The price then went to 35dh but the portions recovered a bit. Then portions went down again, so the only way to make it enough was to order extra meat (5dh) - bringing the price to 40dh. Now, the portions have dropped a bit, and the extra meat is 10dh. So this crappy salad is now 45dh. And that's before the guacamole (5dh). 32dh to 45dh in about a year. I've totally given up on them now.

But I'm also seeing this in the supermarkets with meat and fish.

Anyone else feel the same?

DXBtoDOH

Hmm.

My grocery expenses seem to have been consistently the same across the year but then again I eat next to nothing and shop at Carrefour. Never buy meat or fish so can't comment.

But restaurant prices do seem to have gone up. Drinks (non-alcoholic) are getting more and more expensive. I'm seeing 18-20 AED for a can of soda a lot of places now. I never do brunches but I am aware of the prices and they're generally about 20% more expensive than they were five years ago.

Maxima

Popped into a normal looking photo studio in an average mall, Mirdiff CC for passport size photos, they start at 80 dhs!


Just couple of years back, I remember doing them in the range of 30-40 in other malls, so 80 is just, well ...

TheShed

Yes, I am seeing various things go up. Some friends and I were chatting about this the other day and we are all completely bemused by the Middle East practice of putting UP prices because trade is down :S

Leaving a bar on Thursday evening, Mrs Shed and I jumped into a cab to go home and the diver informed us that the starting fare was aed12 instead of aed5. I politely asked him why the starting fare was so high and he told me they had a message through their system asking them to put the meter higher as takings were down. You just can't make this s%$t up!! Needless to say I called an Uber which arrived in 30 seconds and was probably cheaper than the RTA hiked price.

Millhouse

I wonder for how much longer Uber will be an option...

NorthernLad

Our food shopping bills have definitely seen a notable increase, other people in my office have also seen the same.

For the first time in 12 years we've started to look carefully at what we spend in the supermarkets...I'm not talking about a few dirhams, but hundreds of dirhams difference in our weekly spend.

TheShed

Thanks NorthernLad, you've just made me think about this.

I must have subconsciosly noted the rising prices. In the past I literally never looked at prices, just selected what I felt looked the best quality. When I have been in the supermarket for the last few weeks, I realized that I have started to compare prices. Weird.

Millhouse

What I don't understand is that the dollar peg should be isolating us from this really.

Lightandbitter

The UAE government are burdening all businesses with increased fees for practically everything.

The new 4% municipality tax for anything spent in a hotel plus a 15AED a night tax for every hotel room booked. (Abu Dhabi)

Shops are seeing existing fees increase dramatically and new taxes and fees introduced that have to be passed on to us the consumer.

If they can't get it from oil they will get from us.

Death spiral

Irishbeekeeper

Yep, everything is up and I dont think there is much cash with the boys to subsidize anything to help battle the prices (and why should they?)

scrubbedexpat141

In the supermarket I'm so cost conscious I wonder how my Mrs copes with the trips.

BUT, I have found that by just taking a second, thinking and looking I can trim a lot off. I won't compromise on meat (as in, I'll always buy it)....but thing like salad dressings for example. I either make my own or buy. The range of salad dressings, size and price is phenomenal. My good lady normally walks off in despair when I'm trying to calculate the AED/litre value of each and which is best value.

She got pissed off yesterday because I refused to take the 500g bag of muesli that was nice looking and stuff. I had spotted the own brand (but nice looking) 1kg bag for only 16% more.

Shit like that adds up and saves money.

IKnowNothing

Anyone want to mention School Fees?

77,000 a year for a 14 year old? Madness, total madness, and they just keep on going up and up, then there's the "You can only buy a uniform from this shop" (also owned by the school group), so a shirt s AED40!

Talk about taking the piss.

DXBtoDOH

Still cheaper than many day schools in England, particularly in the SE near London.

And cheaper than Singapore and HK international schools.

Millhouse

That's alright then.

Meow

That is the sensible way to shop so you get a gold star from me!


There are also significant price differences between the supermarkets. I rarely buy fruit or veg in Spinneys as prices are too high and I can get the same items for up to 50% less in Union Co-op or even delivered.

I am far from mean with money but I don't like wasting it. I won't scrimp on meat or fish, although we don't eat huge amount of either, but it's daft to throw money away.

I see petrol is due to go up again in September too.