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Downtown Dubai

sightseeing

Modern center with Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and fountains.

Dubai Marina

beach

Waterfront area with skyscrapers, yachts, and JBR Beach.

Old Dubai

culture

Historic areas with souks, creeks, and traditional abras.

Palm Jumeirah

beach

Iconic palm island with luxury resorts and Atlantis.

Dubai

Dubai 2025: The Complete Guide to the City of the Future

Dubai defies expectations at every turn. It is a city where the world's tallest building stands beside ancient Arabian souks, where man-made palm-shaped islands are visible from space, and where you can ski indoors while the desert sun blazes outside. In just fifty years, this small fishing village on the Persian Gulf has transformed into a global megacity welcoming over 17 million visitors annually. I have prepared this comprehensive guide to Dubai for 2025 — packed with current prices, practical tips, and insider recommendations t...

faq.title

faq.subtitle Dubai

No, visa-free entry up to 90 days within each 180-day period. This rule has been in effect since February 2024.

No, simply leaving and re-entering doesn't work. The total number of days within a 180-day period is counted. You need to spend enough time outside the UAE to 'reset'.

Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from entry date. You won't be allowed in with a passport expiring in a month.

No, since 2020 UAE normalized relations with Israel. Israeli stamps and visas in passport are not a problem.

For tourist trips, the original is usually sufficient. Translation is not required, but you can get a notarized one for safety.

Yes, UnionPay cards from Rosselkhozbank work almost everywhere: taxis, metro, shops, restaurants. Gazprombank cards may have issues. Have cash as backup.

Yes, you can buy and top up NOL with UnionPay from RSHB at metro counters. Tell the cashier 'Union Pay' — sometimes you need to insist.

City rates are 2-5% better. Best exchangers at Gold Souk, Deira area. Exchanging rubles is not profitable — bring US dollars.

Yes, 2006-2009 dollar bills are accepted without issues. Bills before 1996 are considered 'old' and may not be accepted.

Trip.com accepts Russian cards. Many hotels accept cash payment at check-in. You can contact hotels via WhatsApp.

Silver Card: 25 AED (including 19 AED balance). Ride: 3-7.5 AED depending on zones. Minimum balance: 7.5 AED. Top-up: from 5 AED.

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RTA NOL Card

Children under 5 and under 90 cm tall ride free. No card needed — child passes through turnstile with adult.

Travel Tips

Useful tips for visiting Dubai

Alcohol only in licensed venues - hotels, bars. Not in public

Metro gold class worth it for AC and less crowded

Dress modestly in malls and public areas

Friday is weekend - many places closed morning

Summer extremely hot (40°C+) - best time Nov-Mar

Weather

Average temperature by month

Now

17°

88%5 м/с

Today

24°16°

Tomorrow

25°16°

Thu

25°16°

Fri

21°19°

Sat

20°18°

Sun

21°19°

Mon

22°19°

23°

19°Jan

24°

20°Feb

27°

22°Mar

31°

25°Apr

35°

29°May

38°

31°Jun

39°

32°Jul

39°

32°Aug

38°

30°Sep

35°

28°Oct

30°

24°Nov

25°

21°Dec

Water temperature

24°

22°

24°

26°

29°

32°

33°

31°

28°

26°

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location.transport.airportExpress—location.transport.airportExpressDesc

location.transport.metro

4 د.إ~1.1 $

RTA Dubai, Nol

Clean and efficient. Get Nol card. Gold class available.

location.transport.bus

4 د.إ~1.1 $

RTA Dubai

Air-conditioned. Connects areas without metro.

location.transport.taxi

12 د.إ~3.3 $

Careem, Uber, RTA Taxi

Base fare AED 12. Safe and metered. Careem popular.

location.transport.title	location.transport.price	location.transport.app	location.transport.note
location.transport.metro	4 د.إ ~1.1 $	RTA Dubai, Nol	Clean and efficient. Get Nol card. Gold class available.
location.transport.bus	4 د.إ ~1.1 $	RTA Dubai	Air-conditioned. Connects areas without metro.
location.transport.taxi	12 د.إ ~3.3 $	Careem, Uber, RTA Taxi	Base fare AED 12. Safe and metered. Careem popular.

Prices

Cost of food, accommodation and services

Cafes & Restaurants

Lunch

55 د.إ

~55.0 $

Restaurant dinner

220 د.إ

~220 $

Breakfast

29 د.إ

~29.0 $

Street Food

Local dish

18 د.إ

~18.0 $

Drinks

Coffee

18 د.إ

~18.0 $

Beer in bar

44 د.إ

~44.0 $

Local beer

15 د.إ

~15.0 $

Imported beer

18 د.إ

~18.0 $

Wine bottle

92 د.إ

~92.0 $

Fast Food

Big Mac

18 د.إ

~18.0 $

Groceries

Water 1.5L

2 د.إ

~2.0 $

Cigarettes

22 د.إ

~22.0 $

Weekly groceries

294 د.إ

~294 $

Prices are approximate and may vary by season and area.

Accommodation

Hotels and rental prices

Hostel dorm

73 د.إ / night

~73.0 $

Hostel private room

165 د.إ / night

~165 $

Guesthouse

147 د.إ / night

~147 $

Hotel 2★

184 د.إ / night

~184 $

Hotel 3★

294 د.إ / night

~294 $

Hotel 4★

477 د.إ / night

~477 $

Hotel 5★

918 د.إ / night

~918 $

Boutique hotel

661 د.إ / night

~661 $

Prices are approximate. Book in advance during high season.

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location.payment.accepted_cards

VisaMastercardAmExUnionPay

location.payment.contactless_available

location.payment.atms

widespread

location.payment.mobile_payments

Apple PayGoogle PaySamsung Pay

location.payment.cash

Cards widely accepted. Cash useful for souks and taxis

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Banks: Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, RAK Bank - ATMs widespread. Al Ansari Exchange, UAE Exchange - best rates for cash exchange. AVOID: Hotel exchange - poor rates. Cards accepted almost everywhere. Souks (Gold Souk, Spice Souk) prefer cash for bargaining. Taxis accept cards via app. Very modern Gulf city infrastructure.

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10%

10-15% in restaurants, round up for taxis

Safety

High safety level

Tourist area with low crime rate

One of the world's safest cities with virtually zero street crime and strict laws

What to see

Attractions and points of interest

Dubai Museum (Al Fahidi Fort)

Dubai

17°

Free

Architecture

Dubai Marina

Dubai

Global Village

Dubai

Spice Souk

Dubai

Palm Jumeirah

Dubai

17°

AED180

Nature

Desert Safari

Dubai

Expo City Dubai

Dubai

Burj Khalifa

Dubai

Abra Water Taxi on Dubai Creek

Dubai

Dubai Mall

Dubai

Burj Al Arab

Dubai

Al Fahidi Historical District

Dubai

Dubai Frame

Dubai

Gold Souk

Dubai

Museum of the Future

Dubai

Routes

4 km

2.5-3.5 hours

Easy

Al Fahidi & Dubai Creek Walk

Dubai

This route reveals Dubai as it was before the oil boom — traditional, trading, alive. Forget the skyscrapers and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the old Arabian Gulf. Al Fahidi Historical District (formerly Bastakiya) is a labyrinth of narrow alleys between houses of coral stone and clay. The main architectural feature is wind towers (barjeel), ancient air conditioners that direct cool air into buildings. Today, there are galleries, cafes, and small museums here. Visit the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding — here you can learn about the emirate's history and Bedouin traditions. Dubai Museum in Al Fahidi Fort is the city's oldest building (1787). The exhibition tells about life before oil: pearl diving, fishing, trading. It's a great contrast to ultra-modern Dubai. The main adventure of the route is crossing Dubai Creek on an abra (traditional wooden boat). The ride costs just 1 dirham and takes a few minutes but provides unforgettable impressions. Boats run from early morning until late night. On the other bank, famous markets await you. The Spice Souk is an explosion of aromas: saffron, cardamom, frankincense, dried lemons. Traders eagerly offer samples and explain the uses of each spice. The Gold Souk is the world's largest. Over 300 shops offer gold, silver, and precious stones. Prices are competitive, but bargaining is not just acceptable but expected — it's part of the culture. Even if you're not planning to buy, the displays with kilograms of gold are impressive.

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4/5

location.nomad.rating

$3500

location.nomad.monthly

100

Mbps

5/5

location.nomad.safety

location.nomad.internet

4Gexcellent

5G✓

location.nomad.fiber✓

location.nomad.cafe_wifiexcellent

location.nomad.coworking

location.nomad.spaces_count50+

location.nomad.day_pass$40

location.nomad.month_pass$500

location.nomad.popular

WeWork, Nasab, A4 Space

location.nomad.visa

location.nomad.tourist_visa30 location.nomad.days

location.nomad.nomad_visa✓

E-visa✓

location.nomad.visa_run✓

location.nomad.cost_of_living

location.nomad.budget$2500

location.nomad.comfortable$4000

location.nomad.luxury$8000

location.nomad.community

location.nomad.size

location.nomad.size_large

location.nomad.meetups

location.nomad.meetups_weekly

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