Updated 26 October 2026
Cheapest Supermarket in Dubai: The Same Basket Priced at Five Stores Today
Ask five friends which is the cheapest supermarket in Dubai and you will get five answers. So we priced the same basket of 10 staples at Carrefour, Viva, Nesto, Lulu and Kibsons today, 26 October 2026, using the cheapest good match for each item at each store.
The short answer is that no single store wins outright. Each one had gaps, and the cheapest price for each item was spread across three shops. Here is what we found and how to use it.
Why the basket totals are not the whole story
The headline totals look tempting. Lulu came to AED 32.85, Nesto to AED 53.95, Viva to AED 54.42 and Carrefour to AED 106.52. But these totals cover very different numbers of items.
Carrefour matched 8 of our 10 staples, Viva 6, Nesto 5 and Lulu just 2. We found no matches at Kibsons today. So Lulu's low total simply reflects that it only had milk and laban in our data, not that it is the cheapest place to shop.
A fairer way to judge is item by item, which is what the rest of this guide does.
Carrefour: the widest range, and best on milk, oil and laban
Carrefour was the closest thing to a one-stop shop today, covering everything except sugar and tomatoes. It also had the lowest price on three items.
Carrefour Full Fat Fresh Milk, 3.8L is AED 14.99 (down from AED 19.99), cheaper than LuLu Full Cream Fresh Milk 1 Gallon at AED 18.25. Nawar Sunflower Oil, 3L is AED 19.99, which works out at AED 6.66 per litre, the best per-litre oil price in our basket. Safa Laban Up, 200ml pack of 12, is AED 7.49, or AED 3.12 per litre.
Where Carrefour lost ground was eggs, rice and chicken, which pushed its total up.
Viva: strong on eggs, rice and bread
Viva won on the pantry basics. White Eggs 30's are AED 12.30, around 41 fils an egg. At Carrefour, Al Jazira Super Six Eggs cost AED 5.89 for six, close to a dirham each.
Ama Basmati Rice is AED 18.99, working out at AED 3.80 per kg, against AED 6.00 per kg for Sinnara Basmati Rice, 5kg at Carrefour. Assorted Arabic Breads 5's are just AED 1.19.
Viva also had White Sugar 1kg at AED 3.30, a 72% cut from AED 11.63.
Nesto: the place for chicken and fresh vegetables
Nesto had some of the deepest discounts in our basket today. Sadia Whole Chicken 900Gm is AED 9.99, down 45% from AED 17.99. That is about half the price of Saha Fresh Whole Chicken Cut 800G at Carrefour, which is AED 18.49.
Tomatoes and onions are both AED 2.99 per kg at Nesto, each 50% off. Nesto was the only store with tomatoes in our data, and its onions beat Carrefour's Red Onion at AED 4.69.
For sugar, Mr.Chef White Sugar 2Kg is AED 5.99, or AED 3.00 per kg, a touch cheaper per kg than Viva if you have the cupboard space.
So which is the cheapest supermarket in Dubai today?
If you want one shop, Carrefour covers the most of this basket. If you want the lowest prices, split your list: Viva for eggs, rice, bread and sugar, Nesto for chicken, tomatoes and onions, and Carrefour for milk, oil and laban.
Picking the cheapest option for every item today adds up to AED 94.22 for all 10 staples. That is less than Carrefour's AED 106.52, which only covered 8 of them.
Prices change daily, so check before you go. Many of these prices are promotions that may not last.
| Item | Carrefour | Viva | Nesto | Lulu | Kibsons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh milk | AED 14.99 (3.8L) | Not listed | Not listed | AED 18.25 (1 gallon) | Not listed |
| Eggs | AED 5.89 (6 pcs) | AED 12.30 (30 pcs) | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Basmati rice | AED 29.99 (5kg) | AED 18.99 (AED 3.80/kg) | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Whole chicken | AED 18.49 (800g) | Not listed | AED 9.99 (900g) | Not listed | Not listed |
| Bread | AED 4.99 (sourdough) | AED 1.19 (Arabic 5's) | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Sunflower oil | AED 19.99 (3L) |
Quick ways to save
- Compare by unit price, not shelf price. Viva's 750ml oil is AED 8.65, but Carrefour's 3L bottle is cheaper per litre at AED 6.66.
- Buy eggs in trays of 30. Viva's 30-pack today costs well under half the per-egg price of a six-pack at Carrefour.
- Check Nesto for fresh produce and chicken. Its tomatoes, onions and Sadia whole chicken were all heavily discounted today.
- If you only have time for one shop, Carrefour covered 8 of our 10 staples.
- Many of today's best prices are promotions, such as Viva's sugar at 72% off, so stock up on long-life items while they last.
Questions
What is the cheapest supermarket in Dubai today?
No single store was cheapest for everything on 26 October 2026. Viva led on eggs, rice and bread, Nesto on chicken, tomatoes and onions, and Carrefour on milk, sunflower oil and laban.
Why does Lulu have the lowest basket total?
Lulu only matched 2 of our 10 staples, milk and laban, so its AED 32.85 total is not comparable with stores that stocked more of the basket.
Which store had the most items from the basket?
Carrefour matched 8 of 10 staples for AED 106.52. It was missing only sugar and tomatoes in our data today.
How much could I save by splitting my shop?
Choosing the cheapest option for each item today comes to AED 94.22 for all 10 staples, compared with AED 106.52 at Carrefour for just 8 of them.
Where is the cheapest chicken today?
Nesto has Sadia Whole Chicken 900Gm at AED 9.99, down from AED 17.99. Carrefour's Saha Fresh Whole Chicken Cut 800G is AED 18.49.
Prices are taken from each store's website and leaflets and change daily; the shelf price is final.