Dubai: Dubai remains one of the world's best places to go for people looking to boost their income and enjoy a better lifestyle.
The emirate has been listed among the world’s top cities for high monthly salary and disposable income in the Deutsche Bank’s Mapping the World’s Prices 2019 survey.
The emirate’s quality of life has also been rated higher compared to a number of European, US and Asian cities. And what's more, the cost of goods and services, such as buying a new iPhone or renting a car, also comes out cheaper in Dubai.
The survey, which was released on Monday, ranked Dubai the 14th-best city for monthly salary, pegged at $2,856 (Dh10,485) in 2019, and 11th-best city for income after rent, estimated to be around $2,068.
The city was also listed among the top 20 places in the world in terms of quality of life, which takes into account the cost of living, healthcare, pollution and climate. The top city on the survey's quality of life index is Zurich, followed by Wellington and Copenhagen.
However, it scored higher in terms of safety, ranking number one on the index, and purchasing power, ranking number four. It means that people in Dubai don't just enjoy higher income and stronger purchasing power compared to many of their peers worldwide, they live in the safest city in the world.
For a weekend getaway, Dubai is a great choice for those on a budget. It costs just $1,327 to spend a weekend in Dubai, a lot cheaper than in 24 other top cities like Zurich, Madrid, Paris and New York, among others. The price, ranked 25th on the index, includes two nights at a standard five-star hotel, two pub meals for two, two restaurant dinners for two, car rental for two days, soft drinks and a bit of shopping (a pair of jeans and pair of sports shoes).
It also doesn’t break the bank to buy an iPhone XS in Dubai, with the average price fixed at $1,323, the sixth cheapest in the world. In Brazil, the gadget can easily set one back $2,050.
On the cheap date index, Dubai landed the 21st position, with an average cost of a date at $116.5. Zurich,with an average date costing $202.7, took the first spot.
Dubai is quite affordable when it comes to renting a car as it costs an average of $67.2 per day. It landed the 32nd place on the daily car rental index compared to London which stands at number one with daily car rental cost of $172.4.
The emirate was ranked number 26 in the world in terms of cost of cinema tickets. Average cost of one cinema ticket is $11 compared to $19.1 in Zurich, which emerged as the most expensive place to watch a movie in the world followed by London at $16.8.
However, gym membership in Dubai is the third-most expensive in the world. It costs an average of $110 per month to go to gym in Dubai compared to $124 per month in Hong Kong and $121 in Singapore.
Dubai was also ranked the most expensive city for internet. The cost of one-month internet service (8Mbps) in the emirate is $82 while Moscow, landing in the 55th position, offers a lot more savings, with a monthly internet cost of only $7.
This year, the Deutshe Bank report on Mapping the World’s Prices highlights the cities which have seen the biggest change over the last year and also over the last 5 years.
Cities with highest salaries; cheapest and costliest goods
Overall, San Francisco emerged as the best place to live in, if you’re looking for the biggest bump in income and upgrade to a much better lifestyle. The American tech hub offers the highest monthly compensation and the highest disposable income after rent, edging out Zurich, Switzerland, which was the previous year’s winner in the said categories.
San Francisco is followed by Zurich, New York, Boston, Chicago, Sydney, Oslo, Copenhagen, Melbourne and London in the top ten list of cities for high monthly income.
The index also showed that for the budget-conscious looking to spend a weekend outside the home country, it’s best to avoid places like Milan. Weekenders heading to the Italian city can expect to spend $2,706 there, the most expensive in the world.
The cheapest place to go for a weekend, however, is Turkey, which can set a visitor back just $711.
Looking to take a loved one out on a date? Places that can easily create a hole in the wallet include Zurich, where a date can cost $202.7, the world’s costliest. The cheapest option would be Cairo in Egypt, which can cost just $41.9.
For a daily car rental, the most expensive place is London, at $172.4, while the most budget-friendly destination would be Johannesburg in South Africa.
And if you’re dreaming to spend a night at a luxury hotel, you might want to think twice if you’re visiting Milan, where a five-star accommodation with a view can cost $961, compared to just $164 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
And don’t think about changing your shoes when in Zurich. A pair of Nike, Adidas or other equivalent brands costs about $150.9 in the Swiss city. In India, however, you may be tempted to snap up more than just a pair, with the average price of Nike shoes pegged just $58.3.
