Did you know that consumer spending in the UAE is estimated to exceed $261 billion in 2021 as compared to $183 billion in 2016 and consumer expenditure per household is highest in the UAE when compared to other GCC countries, amounting to around $103,000, followed by Bahrain ($96,000). Check out our infographic "Consumer Spending in UAE" for latest consumer spending statistics and trends.
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Consumer spending in UAE accounted on average for about 45% of the UAE’s GDP, compared to a 39% average for the GCC region
Abu Dhabi and Dubai are home to the highest number of households in the Middle East who earn more than $250,000 (Dh917,500) per annum.
| City | Estimated number of households earning more than $250K |
| Abu Dhabi | 270,686 |
| Dubai | 245,272 |
| Riyadh | 198,789 |
| Jeddah | 130,849 |
United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported a significant improvement in consumer confidence with an index of 118 the highest in the region and ranked fifth globally
65% of UAE respondents believe their personal finances would be good or excellent in the next 12 months
More than half (55%) of the respondents were confident about immediate-spending intentions
Consumer Spending by Category
| Category | %age of Consumer Spending |
| Housing | 41.3% |
| Food and Beverages | 13.9% |
| Transport | 9.3% |
| Communication | 7.8% |
| Apparel and Footwear | 7.4% |
| Hotels and Catering | 4.9% |
| Miscellaneous Goods and Services | 4.5% |
| Others | 10.9% |
