Moving to another country to study is an exciting adventure and of course you have many questions. One of those questions may be ‘how much money do I need every month for food and other expenses?’ or ‘can I get my favourite food from my country?’.
Since the UAE is a multicultural country, you can find all kinds of restaurants and cafes, as well as many international supermarkets. The most popular cuisines are Mediterranean, Indian, Turkish, Filipino, American and European.
In addition to your tuition and accommodation fees you will need to budget for day-to-day living expenses. Of course, everyone has a different budget but the tables below show what you can expect to pay in Abu Dhabi or Dubai for some important essentials:
More information on costs and other essential pre-arrival information can be found in our Pre-Arrival Guides.
In addition to your tuition and accommodation fees you will need to budget for day-to-day living expenses. Everyone has a different budget but this is what you can expect to pay in Abu Dhabi for some essentials:
| Study materials for the year | USD 275 |
| Basic mobile phone package – per month | USD 14 |
| A theme park ticket | USD 94 |
| A museum ticket | USD 17 |
| A cinema/movie ticket | USD 14 |
| McDonalds/KFC Meal | USD 8 |
| Coffee from Starbucks | USD 5 |
You should budget USD 95-122 per week for food. Some typical prices are
| Bread (1 loaf) | USD 1.63 | Rice (1kg) | USD 2.75 |
| Milk (1 litre) | USD 1.36 | Apples (pack of 6) | USD 1.36 |
| Eggs (pack of 6) | USD 1.50 | Bananas (500g) | USD 1.09 |
| Can of Coke | USD 0.65 | Pasta (400g) | USD 1.23 |
| Bottle of sunflower oil (750 ml) | USD 3.47 | Box of breakfast cereal (750g) | USD 8.17 |
You can use taxis or public buses in Abu Dhabi. The average taxi trip inside Abu Dhabi is around AED 17 ($5). To travel by public buses, you will need to purchase a “Hafilat” card from bus terminals or Lulu Hypermarket. The price of the card is AED 10 ($3) and each trip inside Abu Dhabi costs AED 2 (~$0.55).
Unfortunately, you are unable to work while studying at IFG because working is not permitted for international students studying at below degree level plus working is not permitted on a Tourist Visa. However, if after your IFG programme you progress to university in the UAE you can work up to 15 hours per week or 60 hours per month.
Many parks to wander around and play sports are free, such as Al Fay Park on Al Reem Island and Family Park at Corniche Street. There are also free beaches where you can swim, relax and sunbathe. Visiting the UAE’s largest mosque, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, is also free of charge. There are also many festivals and markets with free events to watch.
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