There are many ways to travel in Dubai. Of course, a personal car offers the most convenience. But even if you don’t own a vehicle, you can book an Uber or Careem or a local RTA taxi to reach your destination quickly. To help you figure out which of these three services is the most affordable, here’s a detailed comparison of Careem vs Uber vs Dubai Taxi fares in Dubai.
Careem vs Uber vs Taxi: HOW ARE PRICES FOR RIDES IN DUBAI CALCULATED?
While public transport in Dubai is a great option, many people like travelling on their own. Remember that the cost of your Taxi, Careem or Uber ride depends on:
- Starting Fee/Base Fare – The cost at which the ride starts (depends on the time of day)
- Minimum Fare – This is the minimum charge you will have to pay
- Cost Per Minute – This is the charge that applies to stops made along the way. This includes waiting at traffic lights or stops during traffic jams
- Cost Per Kilometre – This is charged depending on the distance travelled during a ride
- Waiting charges – Charged by Uber and Careem, this is the time a driver waits before a customer enters the car. Waiting charges for Careem apply after three minutes of arrival. For Uber, you will be charged five minutes after the driver arrives. If you sit inside the cab immediately after its arrival, no waiting charges are added to the total.
- Booking fee – This is applicable if you have pre-booked your ride by calling the help centre or via the app.
- Others – Other factors that can affect your charges include Value Added Tax (VAT), Salik toll charges, peak rates and other surcharges.
Now let’s look at the prices for a Dubai taxi and the rates for Careem and Uber in Dubai. We have picked the three most common ride types, which are:
- Economy – The most affordable
- Business – Luxury cars
- Max/Van – Cars for up to six passengers
WHAT IS THE COST TO HAIL A TAXI IN DUBAI?
If you are booking a Dubai Taxi, regular taxis are the most affordable option. The next best choice is the DTC Limousine Service, which is a Business service providing luxury chauffeur-driven vehicles such as a Lexus. The van taxis are for groups of up to six passengers.
Here are the taxi rates in Dubai for three service types.
DUBAI TAXI FARES
Ride Type | Base Fare | Minimum Fare | Additional Cost Per kilometre |
|---|---|---|---|
Ride Type Regular Taxi | Base Fare AED 5 (6am-10pm), AED 5.50 (10pm-6am) | Minimum Fare AED 10 – 12 | Additional Cost Per kilometre N/A |
Ride Type DTC Limosoune | Base Fare AED 7.5 | Minimum Fare AED 12 | Additional Cost Per kilometre AED 3.50 |
Ride Type Van Taxi | Base Fare AED 7.5 | Minimum Fare AED 25 | Additional Cost Per kilometre AED 1.96 |
If you are hailing a cab from Dubai International Airport, the Dubai Taxi fares are slightly higher. For the regular and van taxis, the minimum taxi fare in Dubai from the DXB Airport is AED 25. The cab rates in Dubai for hiring a DTC Limousine from the Dubai Airport also start at AED 25.
Please note that all RTA cab bookings must be managed through the app.
HOW MUCH DOES CAREEM COST IN DUBAI?
Careem is one of the two main ride-hailing services in Dubai. Their Economy cars include the Toyota Previa, Chevrolet Impala and the Lexus ES-350. If you opt for Business service, you get high-end, luxury cars. The MAX option provides six-seater cars to accommodate a group. Here’s a look at the fares for Careem rides in Dubai.
CAREEM RATES IN DUBAI
Ride Type | Base Fare | Minimum Fare | Additional Cost Per kilometre | Additional Cost Per Minute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Base Fare AED 6.7 | Minimum Fare AED 15 | Additional Cost Per kilometre AED 2.48 | Additional Cost Per Minute AED 0.67 |
| Business | Base Fare AED 6 | Minimum Fare AED 8 | Additional Cost Per kilometre AED 2.64 | Additional Cost Per Minute AED 0.9 |
| MAX | Base Fare AED 18 | Minimum Fare AED 20 | Additional Cost Per kilometre AED 3.38 | Additional Cost Per Minute AED 0.9 |
Besides the three main service types, Careem has a variety of choices. This is why it is one of the best apps for tourists in Dubai. However, please note that all these options are priced differently.
- First Class – These are luxury chauffeur-driven rides that offer premium service
- Careem Kids – Cars fitted with a child seat
- Careem Electric – Ride in a premium electric car like a Tesla or similar
A Hala Taxi is an RTA cab that can be booked directly from the Careem app. Careem’s Hala Taxi has the same charges as regular taxis fares in Dubai plus the booking fees. The Hala Taxi options include the Dubai Taxi, Van Taxi and People Of Determination Taxi.
HOW MUCH DOES UBER COST IN DUBAI?
Uber in Dubai offers three ride options: Select, Black and UberXL, which are similar to the Economy, Business and Max options mentioned earlier, respectively. Here are the prices for Uber rides in Dubai.
UBER RATES IN DUBAI
Ride Type | Base Fare | Minimum Fare | Additional Cost Per Minute |
|---|---|---|---|
Ride Type Select | Base Fare AED 6.70 | Minimum Fare AED 15 | Additional Cost Per Minute AED 0.50 |
Ride Type Black | Base Fare AED 9.05 | Minimum Fare AED 20.25 | Additional Cost Per Minute AED 1.10 |
Ride Type UberXL | Base Fare AED 15 | Minimum Fare AED 23 | Additional Cost Per Minute AED 0.81 |
CAREEM VS UBER VS TAXI RATES IN DUBAI: WHICH IS THE CHEAPEST?
To figure out which one of these three fares is the most affordable, let’s calculate the approximate cost for a ride from BurJuman Mall in Bur Dubai to The Dubai Mall in Downtown Dubai. The journey is approximately 15 minutes and doesn’t include Salik Toll Gates.
Ride Type | DUBAI TAXI FARES | CAREEM RATES | UBER RATES |
|---|---|---|---|
Ride Type Economy | DUBAI TAXI FARES AED 25 | CAREEM RATES AED 35 – 43 | UBER RATES AED 39 – 40 |
Ride Type Business | DUBAI TAXI FARES AED 37 | CAREEM RATES AED 38 – 47 | UBER RATES AED 51.67 |
Ride Type Max/Van | DUBAI TAXI FARES N/A | CAREEM RATES AED 45 – 57 | UBER RATES AED 51 – 52 |
Between Uber, Careem and the Dubai Taxi, the DTC taxis fares in Dubai are the most affordable. They are also the most convenient. With a fleet of over 5,000 vehicles, RTA taxis in Dubai can be easily found and hailed from any part of the city. If you happen to be in an area where there aren’t any taxis around, you can always book one using the S’hail app which is one of the top public transport apps in Dubai.
If you compare Careem vs Uber in Dubai, the rates for Uber rides are more expensive. However, it’s still a good option if you are looking for a premium chauffeur service with luxury vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the charges to cross a toll gate in Dubai?
If you’re on a route that crosses any toll gates, you can expect an additional charge of AED 4 for each toll gate.
Do VAT charges apply on booking a ride?
A 5% VAT is also applied to your Taxi, Uber, Careem fares in Dubai.
That completes this quick guide on the comparison of taxi, Uber and Careem prices in Dubai. If you are searching for more affordable ways to get around the city, the Dubai Metro and RTA buses are some of the cheapest modes of transportation.
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How mych does it cost a taxi from airport to down town
Hi Elyse, thanks for writing to us!
If you are travelling from the Dubai International Airport to The Dubai Mall in Downtown Dubai, you can expect the fare to be between AED 45 to AED 90, based on the type of taxi or ride-hailing service you’re using. Bear in mind that the starting fare for most taxis is higher from the Dubai International Airport.
You can also use DTC’s online fare calculator and ride-hailing apps to see the estimated cost of a trip.
Thank you!