Overpriced Dubai
 

Was thinking about how so much of Dubai is overpriced.

Just to take as an example, at Brunswick (Tom & Serge outlet at the MoE Sheraton) a burger with fries is basically 100 AED. That's 20 quid! Perfectly good burger and fries even if on the smaller portion side, but 20 quid :eek:

Gelato at a nearby stall was 28 AED (six pounds!) for a serving so small that if it were America it'd likely lead to a few gunshots and a dead server.

There are good value places in town, namely the cheaper ethnic restaurants, but it does seem as if you want anything marginally nicer in a prettier setting you pay through the nose for it.

Is it actually possible for a midrange place to open and survive in Dubai, with prices comparable to the UK? Or are the economic dynamics stacked up against it?

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

Does Brunswick accept sterling?

I fail to understand why we keep comparing to a currency that has depreciated c.40% over the last 8 years.

When I came to the UAE it was 7.2AED. - the 100dh burger was 13quid.

Dubai's problem is two fold: an inefficient supply chain caused by a small but greedy population and a USD peg on the currency.

On a PPP basis, yes. Why set the prices to the UK? Why not China, US, Japan or Thailand?

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

I'd throw in tourism. So many of the better places cater to the tourist market as well and tourists are generally willing to pay more as they're on holiday after all. So that inflates the demand and leaves locals behind.

FYI Americans complain about the high prices as well regardless of the fixed exchange rates.

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

Americans will always complain about prices - they have the best of everything at home. They complain about prices almost every where.

It is very expensive to be a European tourism here but that is also very much currency related. IF you are a GCC tourist, it's cheap. Even the Africans find it cheap (for buying branded stuff).

For what it's worth, Dubai can be very expensive - but comparing to the UK is not the right measure in my mind. It should be looked at on a PPP basis.

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

But what is the accurate PPP for the UAE?

Yes, many high earning individuals here. But there are scores more very low earning individuals, no?

For someone with my income perhaps it's a bit much to whinge about high prices given that I can afford them (for the most part) relative to the majority of the population who have much smaller incomes, but it's still surprising that the economics of Dubai seem catered to high end and low end with little in between, when surely there must also exist a large middle ground. It's an odd place where you can easily pay 20 AED for a coke at a nicer venue yet a can goes for 1.5 AED in a corner shop.

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

The secret is to smoke 60 tabs a day.

The 25 quid saving easily offsets the beer prices

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

I suspect that this accurately reflects the demographics. The middle ground in salary terms) are probably Indians - they save everything or send home with a few meals in the nicer Indian restaurants above the LuLu stores.

Personally, I think you are just looking in the wrong places. Something like Little Bangkok/ Pepper Mill/ India Palace would be for the middle bracket diner - the issue is you are looking for alcohol, which is always going to be expensive.

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

Pity there aren't any BYO restaurants here. (Although I have been known to sneak in the odd bottle of "water" and drank tonic water all night). I wonder whether it will happen, now that the Ramadan laws are changing.
India Palace is a good call btw. I also used to love More - do they still exist?

Just seen them on Zomato, the prices have doubled!

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

A few cheap Chinese places like that in bur dubai

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

I just wait for my Dad to visit and then line up all the restaurants that I want to go to but won't pay for.

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

If you don't like it, go home.

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

If you think Dubai is overpriced - try London !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

they didn't skin you then?

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

Feeling a bit sore down there, eh?

Re: Overpriced Dubai
 

He gets grumpy around the middle of the month as it's another 2 full weeks until he payday and he gets laid again.