Video summary
COST OF LIVING IN DUBAI| OFW PILIPINO LIVING IN DUBAI. PARTITION HOUSE TOUR IN Dubai
Main summary
Key takeaways
Cost of Living Overview (Dubai, UAE)
The video frames Dubai’s main monthly expenses for regular workers as:
- House rent
- Transportation
- Food / groceries
Housing / Partition-House Rent (OFW Perspective)
The speaker describes living in a partition (shared room setup), noting it’s typically tied to rental arrangements rather than long-term ownership.
Reported rent examples (AED/month)
(Some figures vary slightly in the transcript.)
- Their partition rent: ~1,700 AED/month
- Beds / bedspaces: roughly 600–800 AED
- The upper bedspace is mentioned as cheaper than the downstairs one.
- Partition ranges for shared rooms (2 people): about 1,000–1,500 AED
- The exact range is presented somewhat inconsistently in subtitles.
Key context
- The speaker suggests homes/apartments are the most expensive cost category.
- Renting is described as without the same long-term “ownership path” found in some other countries.
Groceries & Food Budget
Grocery estimate
- ~1,000 AED/month (about ₱15,000, as mentioned)
Factors that affect food spending
- If you eat out often, costs increase.
- If you cook and shop strategically, spending can be kept lower.
Eating price impressions
- Street food / casual meals: around 10–15 AED per dish/combo
- Example: a dish + soup + vegetables for about 15 AED
Delivery / convenience
- Groceries are described as easy to order, with the speaker saying items can be delivered quickly—within about 10 minutes.
Food-saving recommendations
- Cook at home more often to reduce costs.
- Use grocery shopping to save compared with relying on takeout.
Transportation Costs & Options
Cost impression
Transportation is described as “too cheap”, estimated at around:
- ~500 AED/month for gas (based on a car estimate)
Common transport modes for typical workers
- Metro (train)
- Buses
- Car lift / carpool
Metro card / pass info (as stated)
- Monthly loading: about 350 AED for unlimited metro rides during the month
Card basics
- Uses a metro card (described as similar to a local reloadable card)
- Minimum / starting load: 20 AED (as stated)
Behavior / filming note
- The video warns to avoid filming people’s faces without permission, since faces may need to be blurred and it’s described as strictly forbidden in the UAE.
Overall Verdict: Is it Worth Living in Dubai?
The speaker(s) generally say yes—it’s okay to live in Dubai and manageable if you:
- Control eating habits (cook more / don’t eat out daily)
- Use metro passes or public transport
- Plan for the biggest cost: housing
VAT / pricing mention
- VAT is referenced as 5%.
- It’s also explained that this doesn’t feel like the same kind of “inflated pricing” experience compared with elsewhere (a comparison to Riyadh is mentioned in subtitles).
Notable Locations / Products / People Mentioned
Notable locations
- Dubai
- Metro (Dubai Metro)
- Supermarkets
- Comparison references: Riyadh and the Philippines (for food/transport context)
Products / food items
- Filipino snacks / chichirya
- Street food combos
- Groceries / vegetables / fresh meat
Notable transport / product
- Dubai Metro card
- Monthly unlimited metro loading (~350 AED)
Speaker label
- “OMG Mark” (introduced as the vlog/host in the subtitles)