Monthly Breakdown for Digital Nomads, Solo Travellers, and Sweet Tooths in the Desert

I honestly thought I’d enjoy Dubai more… but I didn’t. It felt like a luxury showroom built for the rich — flashy, curated, and not super liveable once you’re a few blocks away from the Dubai Mall. That said, I had my moments. And some really expensive desserts.

💰 Expenses Breakdown

🛏️ Accommodation: SGD2,400
→ Stayed in the tech city areas thinking it’d be modern — but it wasn’t. The Airbnb looked better in pictures and turned out to be one of the biggest letdowns of the trip.
🍽️ Food: ~SGD80/day
→ I’m a sucker for sweets — dates, chocolates, local desserts — and everything here is beautiful… but very pricey. Meals added up quickly.
🚇 Transport: SGD300
→ I tried the Gold metro cabin for a week. Even then, rush hour is chaos. Honestly? Just take the buses if you can — they’re more consistent.
💄 Grooming: SGD250
→ Didn’t go hard on beauty shopping this time, but I did grab a few things here and there.

Total: ~SGD5,430 (excluding activities)

📌 Very spendy — not somewhere I’d rush back to, but I’m glad I experienced it once.

🏡 Where to Stay in Dubai

✔️ Near Dubai Mall — This is where all the luxury and convenience lives. The rest of the city changes real fast once you move away from this area.
✔️ Tech City Areas — Where I stayed, and where I learned my lesson. It wasn’t nearly as modern or well-connected as expected.

🏠 Airbnb, Hotel, or Something Else?

✅ Airbnb pros: Easy to find in central areas, utilities included.
✅ Long-term rentals save 20–30%: But options outside the luxe zones vary a lot in quality.

📌 If you value peace of mind over saving a few hundred bucks, Airbnb in a prime location might be the safer bet here.

🍽️ Food and Dining in Dubai (SGD80/day)

Beautifully plated, rich, and honestly, hard to resist — especially the sweets. You have to try the dates, chocolates, and pastries. Just prepare for every bite to come with a luxury markup.

🚕 Transport Costs (SGD250 for the Month)

✔️ Metro is modern, but even with a Gold ticket, it’s packed during peak hours.
✔️ Buses were a more relaxed and reliable experience.

📌 Don’t assume upgrading your ticket means comfort — plan your timings.

📶 Internet and Workspaces (SGD25)

✔️ Decent speeds overall, but not super nomad-optimized.
✔️ Cafes exist, but not all have strong connections.

📌 Good enough for general work, but not ideal for calls or uploads during peak hours.

🎟️ Where I Spent My Time in Dubai

✔️ Dubai Mall – Yes, it’s a mall — but it’s massive. Multiple themed zones, luxury shops, and hidden pockets I kept stumbling into even after weeks.
✔️ Dubai Fountain Water Show – Free, dramatic, and very on-brand for Dubai. Worth watching once or twice.
✔️ Museum of the Future – I didn’t make it in — all tickets were sold out for my dates. Book early if this is on your list.

🌟 Final Thoughts: Was SGD5,430 Worth It?

✔️ A visually intense, sugar-filled, and polished city — but not one that felt human to me.
✔️ Worth visiting once for the scale and spectacle.
✔️ Would I live there? Probably not. But if you’re into luxe and don’t mind the price tag, it might hit different.

🙋‍♀️ Who This City is For

• Lovers of polished luxury and excess
• Travellers chasing modern spectacle
• People who believe dessert is a valid reason to travel