The best things to buy in Dubai are dates, spices, saffron, Arabic coffee, perfume oils and small gold pieces, and most of them cost less than you expect. A handful of food gifts from the Old Dubai souks fits a budget of about AED 100-200 (roughly $27-54), while oud, gold and carpets start well above that. This guide sorts souvenirs by budget, says where to buy each, what to check and what to leave on the shelf, and how our Old Dubai walking tour, from $35, passes the best souks.
By SB Excursions · Published 29 October 2026 · Updated 29 October 2026
Tour on this route: Old Dubai Walking Tour — From $35 per person, 3-4 hours.
What is the best thing to buy in Dubai?
Dates, spices, Arabic coffee, perfume oils and small gold pieces. A handful of food gifts from the souks fits in about AED 100-200, roughly $27-54. Spend more only on saffron, perfume or gold that you have checked, compared and received a receipt for.
This guide also answers:
- What souvenirs are cheapest in Dubai?
- Is gold cheaper in Dubai?
- Where is the best place to buy souvenirs in Dubai?
Six souvenirs worth carrying home
#1
Dates and date sweets
Dates are the most useful souvenir in the country: they keep well, pack flat and need no explaining. Souk shops sell them by weight and let you taste, while specialist date shops in malls and at the airport sell gift boxes at printed prices. Khalas, Sukkari and Medjool are the varieties to ask for, and a boxed gift can cost a lot more than the same dates by weight.
#2
Spices, saffron and tea
Cardamom, dried limes, spice blends, hibiscus and karak chai masala cost very little and weigh almost nothing. Saffron is the one expensive item: buy whole threads in a sealed pack, compare the price per gram and keep the receipt. Our Spice Souk guide has the quality checks, and a bag of everyday spices is the cheapest good souvenir in Dubai.
#3
Arabic coffee and a dallah
Arabic coffee is lightly roasted and flavoured with cardamom, poured from a long-spouted brass pot called a dallah into small handleless cups. You can buy ground coffee with cardamom for a few dirhams a bag, and a brass or enamel dallah with a set of cups for more. The pot is bulky and can dent, so pack it well in hold luggage.
#4
Scarves and textiles
Scarves, silks, cottons and ready-made garments hang outside the shops of the covered Bur Dubai arcade, and tailors will copy a garment for you. First prices are high and bargaining is expected. Be sceptical of anything labelled pashmina at a very low price, since real pashmina costs far more, and compare two shops before you commit.
#5
Small gold pieces
Gold is priced by weight at the day's rate plus a making charge, and the making charge is the part you can negotiate. A small chain, charm or pair of earrings is a manageable purchase. Ask for a receipt with the weight and the purity, compare two or three shops and check your own country's customs allowance before you buy anything substantial.
#6
Handicrafts at Global Village
Global Village is a seasonal winter attraction of pavilions and stalls from many countries, selling handicrafts, textiles and snacks. Khaleej Times reported this season opening on 14 October 2026, with tickets at AED 25 on weekdays and AED 30 at weekends. It is a fun evening of gifts, but check the dates on the official site, because the season ends in spring.
What to buy in Dubai in one minute
Buy dates, spices, Arabic coffee, perfume oils and, if you want something lasting, small pieces of gold. The food gifts are cheap and light, the perfume and gold take more care, and the best place for all of them is the old souks of Deira and Bur Dubai, where prices are lower and haggling is part of the visit. Malls sell the same kinds of things at printed prices, and the airport is the last-chance stop.
Set a budget before you start. A handful of food gifts from the souks fits in about AED 100-200, which is roughly $27-54 at the fixed rate of about AED 3.67 to the dollar. Spend more only on the things that repay it: a good pot of saffron, a perfume you have tried on your skin, or a piece of gold you have weighed and compared.
This guide sorts souvenirs by budget, then by category, then by where to buy them. For the markets themselves, see our guide to Dubai's souks, and for how to pay less, our advice on haggling in Dubai's souks.
Souvenirs by budget
The ranges below are rounded guides in dirhams, not price lists. Shops differ, prices change, and anything bought by weight depends on the day. Use them to decide how much to carry, not to judge a shop.
| Budget (AED) | What to buy | Where | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under about 50 ($14) | Bags of spices, cardamom, dried limes, hibiscus tea, karak chai mix, a small bag of dates, a fridge magnet | Spice Souk, supermarkets, airport shops | Smell for freshness; ask the price per 100 g |
| About 50-200 ($14-54) | Boxed dates, Arabic coffee, a bukhoor set and burner, a scarf, a small lantern | Souks, malls, Souk Madinat Jumeirah | Compare two shops; wrap breakable items |
| About 200-500 ($54-136) | Perfume oils, a brass dallah and cups, a nicer scarf, hand-made gifts | Souks, Al Fahidi galleries, malls | Try the scent on skin; check the finish |
| Above about 500 | Oud, small gold pieces, a carpet, an abaya or kaftan | Gold Souk, perfume shops, specialist shops | Receipts, weight and purity; your customs allowance |
Prices are rounded and change, so treat them as guides. AED 3.67 to the dollar is the fixed rate used for the dollar figures.
The honest summary is that souks are cheapest for food and small gifts, and savings on larger items depend on your bargaining and on comparing at home. Do not buy the first dallah or the first scarf you see; walk the lane first.
Food gifts: dates, saffron, chocolate and coffee
Food is the best-value category. Dates are the classic: Khalas and Sukkari are sweet, soft varieties from the Gulf, and Medjool is the large, caramel-like one. Souk shops let you taste and sell by weight, while gift shops in malls and at the airport sell decorated boxes at printed prices, often stuffed with nuts or coated in chocolate. A boxed gift can cost many times the same dates by weight, so decide whether you are paying for the box.
Camel-milk chocolate is a Dubai-made oddity worth trying, sold by a local brand called Al Nassma in malls and at the airport. The pistachio-and-kataifi chocolate bar that went viral also started in Dubai, and many brands now sell versions of it; read the label to see where a bar was made, and expect printed prices. Chocolate melts in summer luggage, so carry it in your hand bag in hot months.
Arabic coffee with cardamom, karak chai mix and saffron are the other staples. Saffron is the one to buy with care: whole threads, a sealed pack, a receipt, and a price per gram that makes sense. Roughly AED 15-25 a gram is reported for decent threads, so a price far below that is a warning. The checks are in our Spice Souk guide, and the guide to dates covers the varieties.
Spices, incense and perfume
Spices, frankincense and bukhoor come from the Spice Souk. Bukhoor is scented wood or incense burned on a charcoal piece or in a small electric burner, and a bukhoor set with a ceramic or metal burner is a popular home gift. The smell is strong and clings to fabric, so ask to smell before you buy and pack it in a sealed bag.
Perfume oils (attar) and oud are sold in the shops around the Gold Souk and in malls. Oud is among the costliest scents in the world, and cheap bottles sold as pure oud are usually blends or synthetic. Try the scent on your skin, wait 15-30 minutes because it changes, and compare two shops. Fixed-price Gulf brands such as Ajmal, Rasasi and Arabian Oud are a safer route if you want a known scent at a printed price.
Perfume oils can leak, and liquids in hand luggage follow the cabin limits, so ask the shop to wrap the bottle and pack it in your hold bag.
Clothes, gold, art and things for the home
The Textile Souk is the place for scarves and fabrics, and tailors there will copy a garment. Kaftans and loose abayas make useful holiday clothes as well as souvenirs. For quality art and crafts at fixed prices, the shops of the Al Fahidi lanes and Souk Madinat Jumeirah are better than the market stalls, and our Al Fahidi guide says what is there.
A brass dallah with small cups, a lantern or a ceramic dish is a gift that is both Gulf and useful. Pack them with care. If you want gold, the Gold Souk guide explains the pricing, the receipt and the hallmark, and the VAT refund guide explains how tourists can claim the 5% VAT back on eligible purchases from participating shops.
A final note on souvenirs by season: in winter, Global Village adds a second source of gifts, and in December and January the Dubai Shopping Festival brings mall promotions. TradeArabia reported the 32nd edition for 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, so confirm the dates on the official site. Our shopping festival guide has more.
Where to buy: souks, malls, Global Village and the airport
Each place has a job. The old souks are cheapest, with the most choice and the most haggling. Malls and department stores give printed prices, air conditioning and easy returns, and Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates have date, chocolate and perfume shops. Global Village is an evening out in winter. The airport is for the final gifts, which our duty free guide covers, including what is cheaper and what is not.
| Place | Best for | Prices | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dubai souks (Spice, Gold, Textile) | Spices, saffron, scarves, gold, atmosphere | Lowest; haggling expected | 3-4 hours for the loop |
| Souk Madinat Jumeirah | Gifts and art in a polished setting | Fixed, higher | 1-2 hours |
| Malls (The Dubai Mall and others) | Dates, chocolate, perfume brands | Fixed, middle to high | 1-3 hours |
| Global Village (winter) | Handicrafts and gifts from many countries | Varies; many stalls negotiate | An evening |
| Dubai airport | Last-minute dates, chocolate, perfume | Fixed | 30-60 minutes |
Our best-malls guide ranks the malls for visitors.
If you are shopping in the malls, our best malls in Dubai ranks them for tourists. For food shopping to take away, the street food guide is a useful companion.
What not to buy, and what to check
Skip anything made from coral, shell, turtle shell, ivory or animal skin. Export and import rules for wildlife products are strict, and customs at home may seize them. Skip copies of famous brands: selling them is illegal in Dubai, your own customs may seize them and the quality is poor. Skip anything sold with a medical promise.
Check what you can bring home: your own country's rules on dried herbs, plants, seeds, meat and dairy products, gold allowances and liquids. Dry spices, dates and chocolate are normally fine, but the rules are set by your country and your airline, so check them before you pack. Keep receipts for gold and for anything on which you plan to claim a VAT refund.
Pack fragile items in your hold luggage, wrapped in clothing, and carry saffron and small gold items in your hand luggage. And leave a little space in the bag, because most visitors buy more than they planned.
Souvenir stops on our tours
Our Old Dubai walking tour is the easiest way to see the best souks before you spend. It is a shared group walk of 3-4 hours with an English-speaking local guide, from $35 per person, through Al Fahidi, Al Seef, the old Bur Dubai souk, an abra ride across the Creek, the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk, with time to look and shop. The $35 walk includes Arabic coffee or tea, dates, water and entry to a heritage house; the $55 option adds Emirati street-food tastings.
It meets in Al Fahidi near Sharaf DG metro, with the pin sent after payment. Full prepayment confirms your place and cancellation or a date change is free up to 24 hours before the start. It is mostly outdoors, May to September is very hot, and it is not for children under 2, wheelchair users or people with limited mobility; pushchairs and large bags are not allowed, so leave shopping bags at the hotel.
The full-day desert safari, from $45 with no prepayment, includes a camel ride and a henna tattoo at the camp, which is a souvenir of its own. The Abu Dhabi city tour, from $45 shared, includes a stop at the Dates Market on the way back to Dubai.
FAQ
What is the best thing to buy in Dubai?
Dates, spices, Arabic coffee, perfume oils and small gold pieces. A handful of food gifts from the souks fits in about AED 100-200, roughly $27-54. Spend more only on saffron, perfume or gold that you have checked, compared and received a receipt for.
What souvenirs are cheapest in Dubai?
Bags of spices, cardamom, dried limes, hibiscus tea and small bags of dates from the Spice Souk, often under about AED 50. Fridge magnets and small gifts from souvenir stalls are also cheap, and the haggling range is widest in the Textile Souk and at stalls.
Is gold cheaper in Dubai?
It can be competitive, but compare the day's gold rate and the making charge with prices at home, and check your own country's customs allowance. Tourists can claim the 5% VAT back on eligible purchases at participating shops. Keep the receipt with the weight and purity.
Where is the best place to buy souvenirs in Dubai?
The old souks of Deira and Bur Dubai for the lowest prices and the most variety, and malls and the airport for fixed prices and last-minute gifts. The Old Dubai loop takes 3-4 hours, and our walking tour covers it from $35 per person.
Can I haggle for souvenirs?
Yes, in the Textile Souk, at souvenir stalls and gently in the Spice Souk. A fair result is about a third off the first quote. Do not haggle in malls, supermarkets, brand shops or at the airport, where prices are fixed.
What can't I bring home from Dubai?
Check your own country's customs rules on dried herbs, plants, meat, dairy, gold and liquids. Avoid anything made from coral, shell, ivory or animal skin, and copies of branded goods. Dry spices, dates and chocolate are normally fine when sealed.
Is Dubai chocolate worth buying?
It is a good edible gift if you like pistachio and kataifi, and camel-milk chocolate is a Dubai oddity. Read the label to see where a bar was made, expect printed prices, and carry chocolate in your hand bag in the hot months so it does not melt.
Recommended Dubai tours for this guide
Old Dubai Walking Tour
It is the Dubai that is walked rather than driven: the Creek where the city began as a trading port, the restored wind-tower quarter and the souks that still trade spices and gold. A local guide tells the story along the way. The $35 walk includes the abra, Arabic coffee or tea, dates and water; the $55 option adds street-food tastings.
- Duration
- 3-4 hours
- Area
- Old Dubai: Bur Dubai and Deira
- Format
- Shared group walk
- Best for
- first-time visitors, food lovers and anyone who wants the old trading side of Dubai on foot
From $35 per person Full prepayment
View tour
Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai
It is the slow-travel version of the classic safari: more time on the dunes, sunset without the crowds and a full evening programme at a premium camp with air-conditioned tents, unlimited drinks and a large BBQ buffet with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Everything is arranged from the hotel door — a licensed English-speaking driver, the 4x4, the camp and the shows.
- Duration
- 7 hours
- Area
- Lahbab Desert, Dubai
- Format
- Full-day desert safari
- Best for
- families, couples and first-time desert visitors who want the full evening programme
From $45 per person No prepayment
View tour
Abu Dhabi City Tour from Dubai
It is the classic capital day in one organised loop: the mosque before the midday heat and crowds, the newly opened BAPS Mandir, the skyline from the Corniche, Bedouin history at Heritage Village and a photo op at Ferrari World. Transport, a licensed guide, mosque registration assistance and bottled water are included; the $45 shared tour covers all free-entry sites, and a private VIP car for up to 7 people is $245.
- Duration
- 9 hours
- Area
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Format
- Full-day guided city tour (shared or private)
- Best for
- families, seniors and first-time visitors who want the capital's landmarks in one day
From $45 per person No prepayment
View tour📚 Keep reading
Photos: Open sacks of dried chillies, herbs, cinnamon bark and dried limes on a stall in the Deira Spice Souk — Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0, Arabic coffee and a dallah — Clemens Schmillen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Scarves and textiles — trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0, Small gold pieces — Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 pl, Handicrafts at Global Village — Slayym, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).