Dubai: New Salik gates, variable tolls drive up commute costs for residents

Khaleej Times

19-03-2025

Many Dubai residents are experiencing financial strain as a result of higher Salik tolls, unexpected hikes in parking fees, and worsening traffic congestion, all of which have made daily commutes more expensive than before.
For Najeeb ul Huq, a sales executive at an insurance brokerage, the cost of his daily commute has risen significantly compared to last year. 'While calculating my overall commuting expenses, I found that I'm paying up to Dh800 more than I did in February 2023," he shared.
The expat typically refills his fuel tank for around Dh150, which used to last him about six days. However, he now finds himself refueling every four days. 'I do a lot of traveling for my insurance sales, often moving between the city's farthest points for corporate sales,' he explained.
After reviewing his finances, Najeeb found that his monthly fuel expenses, which ranged from Dh700 to Dh900 last year, have now increased to an average of Dh1,300. "With increased travel and routes that pass through Salik gates, coupled with higher Salik tariffs, my monthly expenses have significantly gone up," he noted.
Interestingly, fuel prices have remained relatively stable. For instance, in February 2023, Super 98 petrol was priced at Dh3.05 per liter, while by January 2024, it had decreased to Dh2.82 per liter. Special 95 petrol was priced at Dh2.93 per liter in February 2023, and decreased to Dh2.71 per liter by January 2024. As of March 2025, Super 98 petrol is priced at Dh2.73 per liter, and Special 95 costs Dh2.61 per liter, reflecting only a slight variation compared to last year.
However, mechanics have pointed out that changes in driving patterns, especially increased traffic congestion, are contributing to higher fuel consumption.
'A lot of people don't realise that idling in heavy traffic consumes more fuel than driving at a steady speed. With the increased congestion, cars are stuck for longer, leading to higher fuel consumption even if petrol prices haven't changed much," Usman Jafari, a technician at Al Fawzan Auto Maintenance in Industrial area 3 in Sharjah, told Khaleej Times.
He added that frequent braking and accelerating uses more fuel, as the engine works harder to regain speed. 'Also, if the AC is running while idling, fuel consumption increases further,' added Jafari.
Variable Salik toll rates
Some residents also said that the increase in Salik gates and variable Salik pricing has impacted their monthly travel expenses.
Mohammed AbuNail, a Jordanian expat working as a marketing executive residing in Al Qusais and working in Business Bay, explained that he now passes through at least two Salik gates daily.
'At any point, I have to pass through at least two Salik gates, mainly during peak hours, for which I have to pay Dh6 each time,' said Mohammed.
"Before, I used to pay about Dh8 to Dh12 a day, which added up to around Dh250 to Dh300 a month. But now, I am paying over Dh24 daily, bringing my monthly Salik expense to more than Dh550. That's nearly double what I used to spend, making a big dent in my budget.'
Anthony Kannupallalil, who commutes from Al Qusais to his office in JLT, shared a similar experience.
'I used to take the Business Bay Bridge, pass through the Airport Tunnel, and head to Qusais. My daily Salik expense was just Dh8,' said the event organiser.
'But now, I pay between Dh18 to Dh24 depending on the time I travel. Since I often pass through the gates during peak hours, I end up paying over Dh240 extra per month," he added.
Rising cost of vehicle insurance
For MK, a media industry worker, the overall cost of maintaining his vehicle has risen significantly. 'One of the main reasons is fuel consumption.
"If you look at the traffic these days, especially towards Sharjah, 70 percent of the time my car is idling. When a vehicle moves at a slower speed or remains idle. I have noticed my car consumes more fuel,' said MK.
'I always preferred taking Infinity Bridge from my office in Media City. In Beginning of last year, it took me 35 to 45 minutes to reach my office, and my return journey was about an hour. Now, it takes me more than one hour and 40 minutes to return home,' he said.
MK also highlighted the rising cost of vehicle insurance. 'I used to pay between Dh700 to Dh800 for insurance in previous years. This year, I paid Dh1,400. That's a sharp increase in my commuting expenses,' added MK.
Residents are also concerned about the impact of new parking pricing during peak hours on their monthly budgets.
'From next month, I will have to allocate a higher budget because of the increase in parking charges,' said Najeeb. 'Since my client visits mostly occur during peak hours, my parking expenses will rise as well.'