{"id":3780,"date":"2016-12-26T15:24:07","date_gmt":"2016-12-26T11:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/?p=3780"},"modified":"2026-01-20T13:20:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T11:20:49","slug":"travel-dubai-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-dubai-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"How to travel in Dubai on a budget (Updated 2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Dubai is probably the most expensive and least backpacking-friendly country I have ever been to<\/strong>. Accommodation, food, alcohol and any sort of activity always turn out to be very expensive. On top of this, public transportation is quite limited, therefore on occasions, you are forced to take a taxi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides that, whereas in other expensive cities (such as London or New York), you can always find a cheaper alternative and free events, in Dubai it seems that only the expensive choice is available. For any kind of social event, you always end up paying an exorbitant amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And why is that? In Dubai, people have money. All these events are exclusively organized for expats and these expats, are willing to pay whatever is needed in order to enjoy a couple of beers and have fun. They don’t care because they can afford it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read: 10 Reasons to visit Dubai<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, backpacking in Dubai on a budget is not easy. This is not a coincidence. Sheikh Mohamed has a very clear objective, which is for Dubai to become the number one destination in the world for luxury tourism<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, whereas it’s true that, in order to enjoy fancy Dubai, you need to spend a lot of money, there are loads of free activities and ways to save money. I lived in Dubai for over two years and, as the budget traveler I am, I was always trying to have fun at the minimum cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n