Dubai jumped to seventh place in the 2025 Julius Baer Global Wealth andLifestyle Index (pdf), up from the 12th spot a year earlier, making it one of the fastest climbers among global cities in terms of cost of living for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). Dubai now ranks fourth in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, overtaking traditional wealth hubs such as Monaco and Zurich in several key spending categories.

The climb is largely tied to sharp increases in big ticket items, with residential property prices rising 17.4% y-o-y, and car prices seeing a 12.5% jump. Champagne prices were also up by more than 33%. This comes despite a relatively modest 1.4% average increase in prices across the 20 goods and services tracked in the index.

The surge in real estate costs is driven by rising demand from relocating HNWIs, according to the report. As of the end of last year, Dubai was home to 81.2k m’naires, 237 centim’naires, and 20 b’naires. It saw a 102% increase in its m’naire population over the past decade, according to a Henley & Partners report.

More bang for your buck in Dubai: Buyers are being drawn in part by relative value, with the report noting that Dubai offers more than twice the sq footage for the same budget compared to London. “Though the cost of living well in the emirate may be swelling [...] its attractiveness appears to remain undimmed,” the report said.

Peachy policies pulling ‘em in: Dubai’s policies are also driving the influx with long-term residency programs, favorable tax rules, and the expansion of financial hubs like the Dubai International Financial Center contributing to the city’s growing appeal. The emirate is also investing in health and lifestyle infrastructure like AI-integrated residential buildings that are designed to monitor and support residents’ wellbeing.

The emirate’s steady rise up the list challenging traditional wealth hubs is unlikely to slow down, the report said. An estimated 9.8k m’naires are set to relocate to the UAE this year — the highest net inflow globally. Once again, it looks like they’ll have their eyes on the real estate sector after a Knight Frank survey of 387 HNWIs showed that 68% identified UAE residential property as their top asset class. Around 33% plan to invest in the sector this year, and over half are considering relocating to Dubai as their primary residence. Knight Frank also expects some USD 10.3 bn in global capital to flow into Dubai’s property market by the end of 2025, up from USD 6.9 bn in 2024.

HOW THE REST OF THE WORLD FARED-

Across the Middle East, wealthy individuals continue to spend heavily on both goods and services. Real estate and equities were the top two asset classes for the region’s HNWIs over the past year, while spending remained high in categories including fashion, fine dining, travel, and healthcare.

Globally, the Julius Baer index recorded a 2% decline in the overall cost of “living well” in USD terms — a reversal driven largely by falling technology and luxury goods prices. Some services, however, saw steep price hikes. Business class flights rose 18.2% y-o-y, while private school fees were up 5.1%, as spending patterns continued to shift toward experiences and wellbeing-focused services.

Tags: