The True Cost of a Car in Dubai

The showroom price — or the loan payment — is only the start. Fuel, Salik tolls, parking, insurance, registration and maintenance quietly add up every single month. Tell us about the car and how you drive, and see the honest monthly number, with the loan kept separate so you can see running costs and the full cost of owning it side by side.

The car

How are you paying for it?

Purchase price (AED) — also sets the insurance estimate

Car's value for insurance (AED) — defaults to your loan total

How you drive

Kilometres driven per month

Fuel use (litres per 100 km)

Fuel type — November 2026 official prices

Parking

Salik gates you pass per day

When do you pass them?

Comprehensive insurance — typical estimate

Maintenance & repairs (AED/month) — typical estimate, edit freely

Results update as you type — no button to press. Salik rates include the 5% VAT applied to tolls from 1 June 2026; late-night driving (1am–6am) is toll-free and Sundays are cheaper — the planner linked below models your exact route.

Your monthly running costs

Fuel
Salik tolls
ParkingTypical Dubai ranges — RTA public parking tariffs run from about AED 2/hour in residential zones to AED 4–6/hour in commercial and premium zones; many drivers pay nothing
Insurance
Registration & testingRTA's published fees for a private light car: renewal AED 370 including the AED 20 knowledge & innovation fee, plus technical inspection AED 170 in Dubai if your car needs one — AED 540 a year, spread monthly
Maintenance & repairsYour estimate — servicing, tyres, brakes and the unexpected

Running cost per month (without the car payment):

Plus your car payment:

True cost of the car per month:

How this works: fuel uses the official November 2026 UAE Fuel Price Committee prices (they change monthly, and the new month's figures lead the Dubai Today morning brief). Salik uses the toll rates from our Salik calculator, verified against Salik's published variable pricing: AED 6 at peak and AED 4 off-peak, plus 5% VAT since 1 June 2026, over 22 driving days a month — plan your exact gates on the Salik calculator. Parking and insurance are typical estimates, clearly not quotes: RTA public parking tariffs vary by zone (roughly AED 2–6 per hour; Parkin adds VAT), and comprehensive insurance in Dubai commonly falls around 1.5–3% of the car's value per year depending on the car, your record and the insurer — always compare real quotes. Registration and testing use the RTA's published fee schedule (checked 7 November 2026). Depreciation is real but not shown — a car also loses value every year on top of everything above.

Related DXB Talk guides

A Guide to Car Insurance in DubaiThird-party vs comprehensive cover, decoded. Buying a Used Car in DubaiInspection, history and the transfer steps, in order. Buying vs Renting a Car in DubaiThe real numbers.

Plan the details

Model your exact Salik route gate by gate, plan the move with the Metro & Traffic page, and read what getting your licence costs before any of this starts.

Salik Calculator Metro & Traffic Getting a Driving Licence in Dubai