The 5 Best Discount Stores in Dubai
Are you interested in always getting the most out of your money while shopping? In this case, you’re in luck as the best discount stores in Dubai are sure to have something that will interest you.
Whether you want to shop for gifts for your family, or some tasty treats, or even some affordable electronics, here are some of our favourite discount stores in Dubai.
How Much Could I Expect to Spend at the Discount Stores in Dubai
Discount stores are a good place to get most essentials like clothes, groceries, and even a few accessories. While individual items may be priced low, it’s not uncommon for people to still spend a lot on just a huge quantity of items.
Here’s a simple table showing how much you might spend per item at the different stores listed.
Choosing the Best Discount Stores in Dubai
When it comes to finding our favourite discount stores in Dubai, we’ve decided to list them based on the following factors:
1. Day-to-Day UAE
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| INVENTORY | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| Product Selection | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| Professionalism | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
When it comes to items at a discount, Day-to-Day really stands out as one of the most popular discount shopping centres here in Dubai.
They carry a wide variety of items, ranging from cosmetics, fashion apparel, food, and other household essentials. All of these come at affordable prices too, which we think is quite convenient.
We also like the way most Day-to-Day branches organised their stores. They have dedicated sections and even complete floors for specific items, making it easy to locate whatever you may need.
The big store does have some small drawbacks however. For one, we found that it does take some time for us to call the staff for assistance whenever we had a question.
Customers also report having some issues with checkout due to some of the price tags. There are times when the item hasn’t been updated in a while, so customers are just surprised by the sudden price increase on their total bill.
We think management can be a bit more diligent in updating the prices of their inventory to make things more convenient.
Still, the prices can be hard to beat, and they operate in a lot of prominent locations in the city. We do think they’re one of the best discount stores to shop for essentials in, and so we highly recommend shoppers to check them out.
Pros
- Very convenient operating hours
- Very wide selection of items
Cons
- Takes some time to get assistance in-store
- Inconsistently prized tags
Customer Reviews
Huge variety of items available and the very reasonable prices
“You have the benefit of sourcing many items at the same time because of the huge variety of items available and the very reasonable prices, with no shortage of inventory and it also stays open till late night.” – Syed Naved Haider
Good market and also it has low prices compared to other markets
“Good market and also it has low prices compared to other markets. Everything is there. You can buy fresh fruit, kitchen pot, Hardware, Drinks etc.” – Maxwell William
2. Affordables
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| INVENTORY | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| Product Selection | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| Professionalism | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Affordables opened up back in 2010 as a fashion retail store that is geared more towards the budget conscious buyer. They have a significant presence in the UAE, operating fourteen stores throughout Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi.
They look to deliver apparel for men, women, and children, offering stylish designs capable of matching even top brand names in the fashion industry.
As such, it is a decent place to get an assortment of tops like shirts, jackets, and hoodies, and bottoms like pants, shorts, and skirts for prices below AED 100 a piece.
Most of the clothes also look quite stylish and we think the materials used are durable enough. A lot of customers also attest to the clothes lasting for quite a long time.
Shopping at the stores themselves is also quite pleasant. There’s a decent amount of space to move around and browse their selection of clothes.
There are reports of the opening times being a bit inconsistent however. Some customers supposedly arrived at the store at the advertised opening time, only to see that it was closed for a couple more minutes longer.
Affordables is also not quite a one-stop discount shop like the others, given that they only provide clothes. However, we think this specialisation does give them the ability to offer really good and durable designs at competitive prices.
So if you’re after some affordable fashion pieces for your wardrobe without breaking the bank, then we definitely recommend checking out Affordables.
Pros
- Outfits can look quite stylish
- Very well-organised stores
Cons
- Very focused store leads to lower selection
- Opening times are a bit inconsistent
Customer Reviews
Clothings for gents and ladies is at an affordable price
“Clothings for gents and ladies is at an affordable price.” – Edilberto Zabat
Has a lot of variety of items. At decent prices too from what I saw
“Has a lot of variety of items. At decent prices too from what I saw. Within walking distance of the Chelsea Plaza Hotel where I was staying.” – David Duncan
3. Gate 1 to 7.99 Shop
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| INVENTORY | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| Product Selection | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Professionalism | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
With multiple warehouses and locations, the different Gate discount stores are probably the most cost-effective places to get most of your essentials here in Dubai.
They offer a wide range of items, ranging from consumables like snacks and drinks, household essentials like cleaning supplies and soaps, and even a few apparel selections.
Their accessibility is quite a big benefit in our opinion. Sprawled across five different locations, each warehouse provides shoppers with a whole host of discounted stock that’s very convenient for the wallet.
The stores themselves are quite well-maintained, with adequate walking space and decent organisation of inventory. Parking space is said to be sufficient as well but, customers did say that it varies from store to store.
On the other hand, one of the branches we visited did have some points for improvement. For one, some price labels appear to be missing, leading to some confusion when it comes to payment.
In terms of the quality of stock, we think it’s quite average. Once again, there’s a decent selection of great items and some that do feel like there’s no way to charge a higher price for them.
Fortunately, the prices are among the lowest in Dubai so we think it all evens out at the end of the day.
Overall, so long as you aren’t expecting to get the most luxurious items, we think Gate’s offerings are quite sufficient. We definitely recommend bargain hunters to check out the stock here.
Pros
- Very reasonable pricing on essentials
- Very good selection of kitchen items
Cons
- A few missing price labels makes shopping confusing
- Not always the best quality of items
Customer Reviews
Very reasonable place to shop as then name say 1 to 7.99
“Gate shop is right behind Day to Day on Al Matoum road opposite Etisalate office. Very reasonable place to shop as then name say 1 to 7.99 although things price passes 7.99.” – Mandela Mandesco Byepu
Very good shopping place in Dubai. Amazing shopping experience here
“Very good shopping place in Dubai. Amazing shopping experience here. Reasonable price. Liked the kitchen items very much.” – Swarnalatha Dyaram
4. Al Kabayel Discount Centre
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| INVENTORY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Product Selection | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| Professionalism | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Featuring a rather large space for you to do your shopping, the Al Kabayel Barsha Mall is a very comfortable and efficient discount store for all sorts of items in Dubai.
They are primarily known for their really great deals on everyday household items such as clothing, shoes, office supplies, and a few cosmetics and bath items. However, you can also get a good deal on the furniture here as well.
As a discount store, most of the items here are very affordable. However, we do like to note that things such as jewellery, watches, and some shoes are still rather pricey.
Despite the size though, we also didn’t have a lot of problems navigating the necessary section. Everything was well laid out and clean, making shopping quite convenient in our opinion.
What isn’t as convenient though, is their returns and exchange process. A lot of customers reported having a difficult time getting an incorrect item replaced once it was already purchased the first time.
We think this is quite inconvenient since parking can also be rather limited in the area. It’s often not as cost-effective to exchange some of the cheaper items.
Still, the low prices, wide selection, and long operating hours make them one of the more convenient discount stores in the area in our opinion. We really recommend checking them out.
Pros
- Very wide array of items
- Store is easy to navigate
Cons
- Replacing an item may be a bit difficult
- Very limited parking space
Customer Reviews
Very good quality of products, very friendly and very helpful staff
“Very good quality of products, very friendly and very helpful staff. Very clean and organised store.” – Maha Abdalla
It’s not only cheaper than other shopping malls, but also has a large variety of dresses, shoes, household items and toys
“It’s a wonderful place for shopping. It’s not only cheaper than other shopping malls, but also has a large variety of dresses, shoes, household items and toys. I will recommend it to all my followers.” – Iftikhar Ahmad
5. Dragon Mart
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| INVENTORY | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| Product Selection | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quality | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Professionalism | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
When it comes to buying all sorts of affordable, Chinese-made items and brands, there’s no other place better to look than Dubai’s Dragon Mart at the International City.
It offers a very wide range of products ranging from apparel and accessories, mobile phones, electronics, home and office furniture, and even a few beauty products.
Brands and quality are also quite varied, offering ‘decent-ish’ but affordable products, down to very good and durable items capable of rivalling even many high-end brands.
Dragon Mart is a very big place which does have its own benefits and challenges in our opinion. For one, it’s still very bright and spacious, making it easy enough to navigate even during busy times.
On the other hand, there are a few downsides. For one, parking space can be a bit limited, with slots filling up quickly due to the high number of visitors.
We think it’s best to come in early in order to avoid the long parking queues.
When exploring this place, we also recommend bringing your most comfortable pair of walking shoes. Just the size of the place means trying to see all the available deals can be quite a workout in itself.
Although if you do get exhausted and hungry after a shopping spree, the nearby dining establishments do offer a lot of comfort. In our opinion, you also get a decent selection of food options that every visit can be an adventure in itself.
Thanks to all these amenities and the surprisingly good quality of items they have in-store, shopping at Dragon Mart can be very economical without much compromise. We highly recommend checking it out for your next shopping spree.
Pros
- Impressive selection of items across different categories
- Dining establishments are quite convenient
Cons
- Long queues for parking
- Takes a while to fully explore
Customer Reviews
We can get everything for our needs with the nice price and so many choices
“Very huge shopping mall, we can get everything for our needs with the nice price and so many choices.” – Lilis Komariah
You will always find what you want here, at an affordable price, and good quality
“You will always find what you want here, at an affordable price, and good quality. Wear your trainers as it’s a workout when you visit Dragon Mart, while enjoying shopping!” – Sabah Dalvi
FAQs about Discount Stores in Dubai
We hope you had a great shopping spree! And if you’re interested in Dubai’s other shopping destinations, check out our overview of the best shopping malls in Dubai here!