Has cost of living gone up for expats in Dubai, Abu Dhabi?

Has cost of living gone up for expats in Dubai, Abu Dhabi?

Dubai ranked 18th in the recently released ‘Cost of Living City Ranking 2023’ list released by . The emirate comes second to Tel Aviv, which ranks number 8th globally, as the second most expensive city for an expat to live in, in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi too has gone up the ranks and ranks 43 on the list. One of the key drivers behind the changes in rankings is the surge in rental costs across most cities, according to the report. After Singapore, which has seen rent increases averaging 50 per cent depending on the area, Dubai is the second city in the survey where the rental cost has had a significant impact on the ranking with rent increases averaging 25 per cent. By contrast, the impact of the housing movement has been notably lower in Abu Dhabi, where the change ranges between 6-8 per cent and in some areas remains the same as last year. Apart from the increase in rent, the Mercer report has identified an increase in the cost of living in other categories in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. For instance, the cost of food in supermarkets has risen by up to 11 per