Food is one of the most flexible spending categories in Dubai: here you can eat heartily for 20 dirhams, or leave a couple of thousand on dinner for two. The city is huge and multinational, so the choice is colossal — from Indian eateries in Deira to restaurants with a view of the Burj Khalifa. In this guide we break down current prices for 2026: fast food, local cafes, restaurants, supermarket groceries and drinks. All figures are a reference point, and the ruble equivalent is given roughly at a rate of ~25 RUB per 1 dirham (AED); the rate floats, so check before your trip. If you are planning your whole budget, start with the guide budget for a trip to Dubai.
How Much It Costs to Eat in Dubai
To give you something to start from, here is the average bill for one person for one meal at different types of venues:
| Type of venue | Average bill, AED | Approx, RUB |
|---|---|---|
| Street food, a snack | 10-20 | 250-500 RUB |
| Shawarma / falafel | 15-35 | 375-875 RUB |
| Fast-food combo (chains) | 25-45 | 625-1,125 RUB |
| Local cafe (Deira, Karama) | 20-40 | 500-1,000 RUB |
| Mid-range restaurant (a dish) | 40-70 | 1,000-1,750 RUB |
| Dinner at a restaurant (per person) | 60-120 | 1,500-3,000 RUB |
| A cup of coffee | 15-25 | 375-625 RUB |
| A bottle of water | 1-2 | 25-50 RUB |
The average daily food budget with an economical approach is about 80-120 AED (2,000-3,000 RUB) per person. If you regularly go to restaurants or tourist zones, feel free to multiply that figure by two or three.
Fast Food and International Chains
The familiar chains — McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Subway, Pizza Hut — are everywhere: in malls, near the metro, at petrol stations. A combo meal (burger, fries, drink) costs roughly 25-45 AED. It is a convenient and predictable option when you want something familiar, but it will not be cheaper than the local cafes.
A separate story is the food courts in malls. The choice is huge, portions are large, and the average bill stays around 30-50 AED for a full lunch. In the big centres like Dubai Mall, prices are a touch higher because of the location.
Local Cafes and Shawarma: Where It Is Cheap
The best-value food in Dubai is at the inexpensive cafes of the historic districts: Deira, Bur Dubai and Karama. This is where the Indian, Pakistani, Arabic and Filipino venues are concentrated, where much of the city’s working population lives and eats.
- Shawarma, falafel, sandwiches — 15-35 AED. Filling, fast and tasty.
- A full dish (biryani, curry with rice, thali) — 20-40 AED.
- Freshly squeezed juices — 10-20 AED.
For this money the portions are usually large, and the cuisine is genuine rather than touristy. That is exactly why these districts are convenient not only for eating but also for living cheaply (Deira and Bur Dubai). If you want to feel the local colour, begin your culinary acquaintance with Dubai right here.
Mid-Range and Premium Segment
Mid-range restaurants are venues in malls, on the waterfronts and in the tourist quarters. Here a single dish costs 40-70 AED, and a full dinner per person is 60-120 AED without drinks. For this money you get service, atmosphere and a wide menu — from Italian and Asian cuisine to seafood.
The premium segment is hotel restaurants, venues in Downtown and Dubai Marina, places with a view and celebrity chefs. Here the bill per person easily passes 200-300 AED, and with alcohol and tasting sets, much higher. This is no longer about satisfying hunger but about the experience.
Groceries at the Supermarket
If you rent lodging with a kitchen, cooking for yourself is the most budget-friendly option. The main chains are Carrefour and Lulu Hypermarket, plus the pricier Spinneys and Waitrose. Reference points for a basic basket (Carrefour/Lulu, 2026):
| Product | Price, AED | Approx, RUB |
|---|---|---|
| Bread (loaf/flatbread) | 3-6 | 75-150 RUB |
| Milk, 1 L | 5-7 | 125-175 RUB |
| Eggs, 12 ct. | 9-14 | 225-350 RUB |
| Chicken fillet, 1 kg | 20-30 | 500-750 RUB |
| Rice, 1 kg | 6-10 | 150-250 RUB |
| Bananas, 1 kg | 4-7 | 100-175 RUB |
| Bottle of water, 1.5 L | 1-2 | 25-50 RUB |
A week’s shop of simple groceries for one person comes to roughly 120-180 AED. Lulu and Carrefour often have deals on vegetables, fruit and grains — this noticeably lowers the bill.
Drinks and Alcohol
Non-alcoholic drinks are inexpensive: water is 1-2 AED at the supermarket, a cup of coffee at a cafe is 15-25 AED, fresh juice is 10-20 AED. But alcohol in Dubai is expensive: it is sold only at licensed venues — hotel restaurants and specialized bars. A glass of wine or beer at such a place costs from 40-60 AED, and cocktails noticeably more. Ordinary shops and cafes have no alcohol. This is a significant item that can quietly double your restaurant bill.
How to Save on Food
A few working tricks:
- Eat where the locals eat — the cafes of Deira, Bur Dubai and Karama are 2-3 times cheaper than the tourist zones.
- Use business lunches — many restaurants offer set lunches for 35-55 AED.
- Cook for yourself at least breakfasts — groceries from Carrefour and Lulu save the budget a lot.
- Drink supermarket water rather than from the minibar or a restaurant.
- Download apps for delivery and discounts (for example, deal aggregators) — there are regularly offers on food.
- Skip the alcohol or limit it — it is the most expensive item on the bill.
Combine saving on food with other categories: take a look at the guides shopping in Dubai and petrol prices to plan the whole trip.
Conclusion
Food in Dubai costs exactly as much as you are willing to spend. A budget traveller can realistically keep to 80-120 AED a day by eating at local cafes and cooking breakfasts themselves. A restaurant lover will spend many times more, especially if alcohol is added. The main advice is to combine: try street food and the cafes of the historic districts, and go to restaurants deliberately, for the experience. Then culinary Dubai will please both the stomach and the wallet.
