Updated 26 October 2026
Student Grocery List Dubai: A Cheap Weekly Shop from Today's Offers
Living on a student budget or cooking for one in Dubai? This list covers the basics most of us rely on: eggs, bread, pasta, noodles, tuna, milk, rice and peanut butter.
Every price below was checked on 26 October 2026. Offers change daily, so treat these as today's prices rather than fixed ones.
We also looked for bananas, but no good match turned up at any store today, so they are left off the totals.
Which store gives the cheapest basket today
No single store had everything on our list today. Viva came closest with 7 of 9 items for AED 70.68. Carrefour had 6 of 9 for AED 61.02.
Carrefour's total looks lower, but it is missing bread and pasta, and Viva is missing milk. So the totals are not a like-for-like comparison.
Lulu and Nesto each matched just one item today, and Kibsons had none. The best approach is to split your shop between Viva and Carrefour, with an optional stop at Nesto for noodles.
Cheap staples: bread, pasta and rice
Viva is the place for carbs today. Assorted Arabic Breads 5's are AED 1.19 (down from AED 1.49), and Arbella Assorted Pasta 500g is AED 2.99, down from AED 3.99.
For rice, Carrefour has Plain Rice at AED 2.00, down from AED 3.60. The pack size is not listed, so check it on the shelf.
If you want to stock up, Viva's White Rice 5Kg is AED 26.25, which works out at AED 5.25 per kg. That is a bigger upfront spend but should last a single person for weeks.
Protein on a budget: eggs, tuna and peanut butter
Viva's White Eggs 30's are AED 12.30 today (was AED 13.99). That is about AED 0.41 per egg. Carrefour's Al Jazira Super Six Eggs are AED 5.89 for 6, around AED 0.98 per egg. Buy the Carrefour pack only if you will not get through 30 before they go off.
Tuna is a clear win at Viva: American Classic Tuna Light Meat Flakes in oil is AED 3.50, compared with AED 9.29 for Kallimanis Tuna in Water 140g at Carrefour.
Peanut butter is also cheaper at Viva. The Peanut Butter Crunchy 1Kg is AED 13.30 (down from AED 21.77), while Carrefour's Cozina Crunchy Peanut Butter 510g is AED 16.36. You get almost twice as much for less money at Viva.
Instant noodles and fresh milk
For noodles, Nesto's Sinan Instant Noodles Assorted (5 x 85g) are AED 4.99, down from AED 7.99. At AED 1.17 per 100g, they are the cheapest per gram today.
If you are not passing Nesto, Viva has Wai Wai Chicken Flavor Brown Instant Noodles, 10 x 75g, for AED 11.15 (AED 1.49 per 100g). Carrefour's Indomie Spicy Curry, 10 x 90g, is AED 12.49 (AED 1.39 per 100g).
Milk is cheapest at Carrefour: Carrefour Full Fat Fresh Milk 3.8L is AED 14.99, down from AED 19.99, or AED 3.94 per litre. Lulu's Full Cream Fresh Milk 1 Gallon is AED 18.25. Viva had no fresh milk match today.
Our suggested weekly list and total
From Viva: White Eggs 30's (AED 12.30), Assorted Arabic Breads (AED 1.19), Arbella Pasta (AED 2.99), tuna flakes (AED 3.50) and Peanut Butter Crunchy 1Kg (AED 13.30). That comes to AED 33.28.
From Carrefour: Full Fat Fresh Milk 3.8L (AED 14.99) and Plain Rice (AED 2.00), totalling AED 16.99.
From Nesto: Sinan Instant Noodles (AED 4.99).
That is 8 items for AED 55.26 today. If you would rather visit only two stores, swap the Nesto noodles for Viva's Wai Wai pack at AED 11.15, bringing the total to AED 61.42.
| Store | Items found | Basket total | Missing today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viva | 7 of 9 | AED 70.68 | Fresh milk, bananas |
| Carrefour | 6 of 9 | AED 61.02 | Bread, pasta, bananas |
| Lulu | 1 of 9 | AED 18.25 | All except fresh milk |
| Nesto | 1 of 9 | AED 4.99 | All except instant noodles |
| Kibsons | 0 of 9 | AED 0.00 | All items |
Quick ways to save
- Compare price per unit, not just the shelf price. Viva's 30 eggs cost more upfront but work out much cheaper per egg than Carrefour's 6-pack.
- Larger packs of long-life items like peanut butter and rice are often better value. Viva's 1kg peanut butter costs less than Carrefour's 510g jar today.
- Split your shop between two stores when one is missing key items. Viva plus Carrefour covers everything on this list except bananas.
- A 3.8L bottle of milk is a lot for one person, so check the use-by date and only buy it if you will finish it in time.
- Check prices again before you go, as today's discounts may not last.
Questions
How much does a basic weekly student grocery list cost in Dubai?
Based on today's offers (26 October 2026), our 8-item list across Viva, Carrefour and Nesto comes to AED 55.26. Using only Viva and Carrefour, it is AED 61.42.
Which store is cheapest for student groceries today?
Viva had the most items (7 of 9) and the best prices on bread, pasta, tuna, eggs per piece and peanut butter. Carrefour was cheapest for fresh milk and had the lowest rice price.
Where are the cheapest instant noodles today?
Nesto's Sinan Instant Noodles Assorted, 5 x 85g, are AED 4.99, which is AED 1.17 per 100g, the lowest per-gram price we found today.
Why are bananas not on the list?
We searched for bananas but found no good match at any store today, so they are not included in the totals.
Is the bigger egg tray worth it for one person?
Viva's 30 eggs at AED 12.30 work out at about AED 0.41 each, against about AED 0.98 each for Carrefour's 6-pack at AED 5.89. The tray is better value if you eat eggs often enough to use them before they go off.
Prices are taken from each store's website and leaflets and change daily; the shelf price is final.