Shopping in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Shopping, in general, is one of the favorite past time while in the UAE, especially in the two bigger emirates, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The two frequently used types of markets in the country are either very big malls or the local souks.
The UAE has too many fancy malls, quaint neighborhood convenience stores, shopping boulevards, and common open-space markets traditionally called souks in Arabic. Every one of them represents a part of the UAE people and lifestyle.
Different shopping malls have varying capacities and they offer a great range of products, items, goods and, services. They usually house most of the recreational outlets, restaurants, and entertainment centers.
While the local neighborhood convenience stores and open souk markets carry goods, food items, and products from within the country, the Gulf region and other parts of the world. Souks are very good for international students because they also carry many regional fruits and food products from different areas.
Some of the countries popular souks can be found in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai.
Basic food items in the UAE like 1 liter of milk cost 5-6 AED, one dozen eggs cost 13 AED, 1kg tomatoes cost 7 AED, 500 grams of cheese cost 25 AED, fruits like apples, oranges, and cherry cost about 5 AED to 9AED for a kilogram. Bread is a staple even in Arab communities and costs about 4 to 5 AED depending on the market.
Asides food, there are many other items that students can shop for, items like clothing, accessories, gadgets and more are sold at malls and markets alike. The country is ridden with both local and foreign brands with a lengthy range of bargain discounts and sales. Also, expect to see haggling happen between buyers and sellers, it is considered part of the complete shopping experience in the UAE.
During the holy month of Ramadan, there are specially crafted night markets that sell items at really affordable prices. The markets also open at special periods in cities like Sharjah, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and, Dubai. Another peculiar aspect of shopping in the UAE is the availability of shopping festivals across the nation.
Every shopping outlet in the entire emirates participates in these festivals at differents emirates throughout the year, with many deals and discounts that are favorable for the shoppers.
Some very noteworthy shopping festivals include;
- Abu Dhabi Shopping Festival
- Dubai Shopping Festival
- Sharjah Summer Shopping Festival
- Chinese Commodities Fair Sharjah
