3 days ago
Some UAE residents spend Dh550 a month on parking fees, decide to give up second car
For many UAE families, owning a car doesn't just mean paying for petrol and maintenance, it also means paying for parking space. And for some, owning two cars is becoming more of a financial burden than a convenience for many families, as parking costs increase and more places across cities are being converted into paid parking areas.
Many residents told Khaleej Times that, in several residential buildings, they are provided only one parking spot per flat, and in most cases, it's not free. The second vehicle often ends up parked in paid public lots or street zones, with families shelling out over Dh300 for a car every month just to park their cars.
One flat, one paid slot
Mohammed Abu Hamdan, a Jordanian expat living in Al Nahda, Sharjah, said he pays Dh300 every month for a parking space inside his building for one of the family's vehicles. But that's not enough.
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'My wife drives to work too, and we have a second car. There's no second parking slot provided in our building,' he said. 'So we had to find a nearby open parking lot and pay an additional Dh250 per month. We are spending Dh550 monthly just to park two cars.'
The family also owns a third vehicle, used by their son who commutes to university. 'We can't afford three parking slots. So, either he takes public transport when possible or we manage with carpooling. Honestly, we never imagined parking alone would cost so much when we bought our cars.'
Since the beginning of April, Dubai has introduced a variable public parking tariff across the city. During peak hours (8am to 10am and 4pm to 8pm), premium parking now costs Dh6 per hour, while standard parking is charged at Dh4. Off-peak rates remain unchanged.
'A stress-free switch'
Some residents have simply decided that the cost was too high for them and have sold the car which is less used.
Imran Patel, a manager at a boutique at a mall in Dubai's Al Barsha who has been residing in Deira, said that his family sold their second car to avoid the parking struggle. 'We had two cars, and only one parking space in our building. We paid Dh400 per month for the second car and it was always at risk of getting fined,' he said.
But selling their car did not have much consequences as both their home and workplace are located close to Metro stations. 'My wife now uses the metro to get to work. We have saved not just on parking, but also on fuel and maintenance. It's been a stress-free switch.'
'If we are relocating from our current residence, we may think of buying another car, but for now, we are happy with one car,' added.
Parking subscriptions
For others who don't live near a Metro line, giving up a second car isn't an option, but it still comes with sacrifices. To avoid daily battles for parking, some families are now opting for monthly parking subscriptions offered by the authorities.
Abdul Hadi, an Iranin dry fruits and nuts trader residing in Mirdiff, recently subscribed to the Zone A parking permit. 'For our second car, we pay Dh500 for a monthly subscription that covers Zones A, B, C, and D in Dubai. It has been a huge relief,' he said.
'Subscribing to zone A, we can park near our home in 251C or D, which is available at any hour. Wherever we go, whether it's for work, shopping, or visiting someone, we don't have to worry about hourly parking charges or topping up.'