The 5 Best Bookstores in Dubai
Books are one of the mediums where people can take a step back from reality and immerse themselves into a fictional world for entertainment. Aside from that, they can also serve as great educational tools.
Regardless of the reason why you’re aiming to look for books, we got you covered. Check out our picks for the best bookstores in Dubai for your next literature hunt!
How Much Do Books Cost in Dubai
There are different kinds of books available in Dubai. The typical and most general classifications are fiction and non-fiction.
However, there are many more specific ways to categorize books based on their general function. Breaking down the cost of books based on their type is one of the ways we can provide help for you during your shopping trip.
For used books, regardless of the type, you can expect to pay at least half of their original price.
Check out the table below to get an estimate of how much you can spend on books:
The Best Bookstores in Dubai
We’ve assessed the stores in this article based on the following factors:
1. Books Kinokuniya Dubai

Criteria | Ratings |
Variety | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Pricing | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Store | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Books Kinokuniya is an international retailer that is based in Japan. Initially opening its doors in Tokyo during the 1920s, the company has since then opened other branches all around the world.
What we like about their store in Dubai Mall is that it’s quite spacious, spanning about 68,000 square feet!
Heads up: you will probably get lost here. Get ready to spend an hour or two just exploring and looking for the right book you want to purchase.
Despite this, we think that the place is quite organized. The labels for book categories can easily be seen by visitors.
One thing we like about this establishment is that there is a lot of literature available for consumption. From fiction to educational books to comics, you’ll have a lot of options to choose from.
Another thing that’s great about this place is that they offer books in different languages. These include books in English, Arabic, and French.
We do have to point out that Kinokuniya encourages its customers to get a membership card. While it offers perks such as discounts, it’s not really that much of a difference compared to the original retail price of the books they sell.
Also, while they do have an online store for convenience, we don’t really recommend it to determine whether a book that you want is available in the physical store.
Overall, we recommend Books Kinokuniya for its wide product variety, as well as its great and spacious store!
Pros
- Sells English, Arabic, and French books
- Wide product variety
- Affordable price range
- Great store organization
Cons
- Can get busy
- Encourages customers to get a membership card
Customer Reviews:
Huge Product Range, Helpful Staff
“Probably the best book store in the Mall. This place has a huge range of books from all types of genres, I was mainly here with my daughter to help her look for manga books (their selection is massive) & comic statues. The staff are very helpful with any queries or general questions. Their prices were surprisingly reasonable compared to other stores like this from around the world (for example Forbidden Planet). Give yourself enough time to browse & enjoy.” – Darren, via Google Reviews
Great Product Variety
“This place is just the synonym of lost!I legit spent 2 hours just surfing this store …not only was I mesmerised by the collection of books and comics, but there were also plushies, statues and what not related to all the books … To be honest this is one the greatest store in the dubai mall” -Burhan Hamid
2. Book World Trading

Criteria | Ratings |
Variety | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Pricing | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Store | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
This location is a haven for people who are on the lookout for old and used books.
Book World Trading is a shop in Al Satwa that offers second-hand literature. These range from fiction, to pocketbooks, to mangas, to comics, to medical books, and more.
They also have language-specific books, such as Tagalog pocketbooks.
What’s interesting about this place is that you don’t just find used books. If you look hard enough, you can actually find vintage editions of literature.
You just need to look hard enough to find the one you want, which is quite difficult in this store’s interior. First of all, the space is quite small.
The walkways are just enough for one or two people in a line. Secondly, the organization in this place is not as thorough as regular bookstores.
They are sorted by classification (for example fiction books are in one place), but that’s the only method used in this location. So you’ll need a lot of patience and a lot of time browsing this store.
We believe that the reward is finding a good deal – prices start at around AED 10 per book, which is quite cheap. You can also just rent the book if you don’t want to hold onto it permanently!
We think that Book World Trading is the best place for diving into a treasure trove of used books if you’re looking for an affordable book or something old.
Pros
- Offers books for rent
- Wide product range
- Has language-specific literature
Cons
- Store’s organization is limited
- Focuses more on used books
Customer Reviews:
Kind and Helpful Staff
“A jewel in the midst of the crowded Satwa in Dubai. Though the space is a bit small and it’s not easy to find the book cos it’s not properly arranged. the store keeper is kind and friendly.” -Lili Dioso
Great For Old Books, Affordable Rates
“Since I do love old/vintage books, Bookworld is my go-to place. I bought most of my books here as it is really affordable and the lady was also helpful esp when I asked for a Tudor history book last time. I was just glad to discover this place sitting in the heart of Satwa. Would love to go back again when time permits.” -Anna Fatima Centoso
3. House of Prose Bookstore

Criteria | Ratings |
Variety | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Pricing | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Store | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
The House of Prose Bookstore is an establishment that offers old books. This is another option for those who are in the market for second-hand items.
In terms of book variety, we noticed that the selection is quite limited. The store focuses on stocking up more on fiction titles.
Additionally, you can also find some reference materials such as grammar and vocabulary books in English. There are some mangas and comics here but expect them to be very outdated.
But aside from that, there isn’t a lot of book variety in this store.
What we think is great about this place, however, is the flexibility it offers for its readers. You can either buy or rent a book that you found in the store.
Also, the place offers perks if you actually return a purchased book in exchange for store credits. This means that you might get another book for free here using those benefits.
If you plan to visit this establishment, take note that there is a dedicated basement parking space for customers. It’s also free, so you don’t have to worry about paying.
In short, we think that the House of Prose Bookstore is a good place for fiction. We recommend heading here if you want to take a chance on finding good novels for a low price.
Pros
- Free parking available
- Allows book returns for credit
- Spacious store space
Cons
- Used books only
- Primarily stocks up on fiction books
Customer Reviews:
Good Prices
“I love this place you’ll find affordable used books in good condition and you can return the books and resell it to them if still in good condition! They offer a loyalty card too.” -Abeer MK
Great Options, Reasonable Prices
“A good collection of books with reasonable prices. If you return the books after reading, there is a buyback option with 50% of the price.” -Bakhatnur Baityeli
4. Booktopia

Criteria | Ratings |
Variety | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Pricing | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Store | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Booktopia is an independent bookstore that has been in the business for over 25 years. The store offers quite a selection of books for clients.
They have the usual things you can find in other stores: which is primarily fiction. What we noticed however is that this store focuses on providing children’s books, especially those of the educational kind.
There’s an inclination towards stocking up on early learning books, development books for children, as well as actual textbooks for elementary students.
Regardless of this inclination, we believe that the book variety is still great.
Now, this store has two modes of business: a physical store and an online platform. We recommend visiting the physical store if you are nearby Dubai Festival City Mall.
This is because the online platform doesn’t really provide shipping fee discounts. They only offer it for free if your total purchase amounts to AED 300.
Speaking of their store, the first thing we’ve observed is that the organization is great. It’s easy for customers to browse around and find the books that they want.
We like that it’s sorted per type, and from there you can notice that it’s neatly arranged depending on the last name of the author for easier retrieval.
We recommend coming here if you’re looking for some good children’s books or educational books. Their fiction catalog is also great!
Pros
- Good book variety
- Offers Arabic books
- Great store organization
Cons
- Focuses on children’s books and mainstream fiction
- Limited free shipping available
Customer Reviews:
Good Customer Service
“They had a nice buy 2 get the 3rd free promotion in ramadan and I ended up buying a bunch. Their selection leaves room to be desired with mostly mainstream books on display but somehow I still managed to find ones I liked. The customer service was amazing, they’re always very welcoming. The Nepalese guy who helped us was fantastic, gave us a good discount and some free Arabic manga magazines! He had no idea but we were having kind of a disastrous day out but our visit to Booktopia saved the day(as dramatic as that sounds xD ).” -Lavender Moon, via Google Reviews
Great Store interior, Store Has Activities For Children
“It’s a wonderful store, with so many books. But what I like more are the storytelling sessions and all the activities happening there. It’s the best place to teach the kids the love for reading, books and discovery.” -Clementina Kongslund
5. Al Munna Bookshop

Criteria | Ratings |
Variety | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Pricing | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Store | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Al Munna Bookshop is a store that specializes in providing study guides, school books, and textbooks. Aside from that, you can also find Qurans and some stationery.
The company serves multiple customers around the UAE, including Sharjah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. This location is the place to go if you are solely looking for education or reference books.
We think that it’s a good place to shop for your academic needs, seeing as you can grab some supplies and textbooks in one area.
Speaking of academic books, there are a lot of variations to choose from. The company also serves as an independent distributor and publisher so you will expect a lot of stock for textbooks.
For their physical store, we’ve observed that the place is quite spacious. It’s very easy to go around and look for the items that you need.
Also, what we like about Al Munna’s bookstore is that the organization is great! Everything is sorted well and easy to find, provided that you know the details of the book that you are looking for.
Lastly, we recommend this place for its affordable prices. Textbooks are priced from AED 45 to AED 300 at maximum, which is quite less than in other shops.
In conclusion, we think that Al Munna Bookshop is best for those who are looking for good deals on academic textbooks!
Pros
- Great academic books variety
- Good store organization
- Affordable prices
Cons
- Limited opening hours
- Focuses on stocking up on educational books
Customer Reviews:
Great Product Variety, Reasonable Prices
“Good store with large range of study books. Mostly in stock. Helpful staff. Reasonable price.” -Kanjhan Hati
Good Prices, Quality Items
“Reasonable price for notebooks and stationery items…. Text books also available there… quality of notebooks are good with affordable price….” -Griffy Deni
FAQs About Bookstores in Dubai
We hope you find the literature you’re looking for in any of these shops!
Interested in broadening your shopping horizons? Check out our list of the top things to buy in Dubai!