Have you ever found yourself breaking the bank while traveling? Well, today we’re talking about traveling on a budget. I’ll do a cost breakdown of a typical tourist’s day in a popular city based on popular restaurants, activities, and hotels. Once we round up the dream day, we will then go on to offer budget-friendly alternatives in each of those three categories.
So, here’s how to spend a day in Dubai for less than $100. Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. The global city is known for ultra-modern architecture and its world-class shopping experiences. Dubai also happens to be one of the most expensive cities in the Middle East.
Our first pick will be a place to eat. I choose Atmosphere, which is a fine-dining restaurant. Atmosphere is the world’s highest restaurant, conveniently located in the Burj Khalifa, which is the world’s tallest building. It’s located on the 122nd floor and is described as an exclusive, award-winning fine-dining venue. The average cost for lunch is $102.09 for just an entree. This does not include starters or drinks. Our dream-day itinerary is already over our $100 spending limit, but let’s keep it going. Since our choice to eat was in the Burj Khalifa, it would make the most sense to stay here for our top activity.
Head up to the observatory deck on the 124th floor. When browsing for tickets on their website, I stumbled upon a special promotion that includes admission to the observation deck and admission into the Dubai Aquarium underwater zoo for $55.94. The Dubai Aquarium houses one of the world’s largest suspended tanks. In my opinion, that price isn’t so bad for two top activities.
After a long day out, you’re going to want a good night’s rest. Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai is a Travelers’ Choice 2019 winner. And this is one the best attractions of Dubai, the five-star hotel offers both relaxation and adventurous thrills for couples and families. It has a water park, aquarium, and celebrity-chef restaurants. The average cost for the cheapest room, the Ocean King room, is $355.29. It does include unlimited access to the Water Park and aquarium, but how much time will you spend in an aquarium and a water park if the purpose is to go out and explore the city? So there we have it, one place to eat, one thing to do, well, technically two, and a place to sleep. And our total round-up is $513.32. Come on, that’s horrible. OK, let’s not forget it is possible to spend less than $100 and have just as much of a good time.
Head to Dubai’s Gold Souk to window-shop in one of the largest gold markets in the world. Nearby is the Spice Souk, where thousands of spices are sold. Again, it’s free to wander, but if you come across something you like, buy it! Market retailers are accustomed to haggling, but please be considerate with the prices you are asking for. Look around carefully for bargains. Spices are sold both by weight and in packets.
With Left money? You know what that means. That means we get a bonus. With extra money in our pockets, we get to spend it on something else. For $35 you can visit the Dubai Aquarium and underwater zoo, which is also located in the Dubai mall where you can explore for free. It is the largest mall in the world. With our new bonus activity, the final amount is now $97.
That, my friends, is a day in Dubai for less than $100 and includes more than what the first itinerary offered.
So do not be afraid to pack your bag and plan to have a visit top places in Dubai.
