UAE families spend up to Dh2,000 for back-to-school items

Apart from tuition fees, residents spend on uniforms and school supplies as malls bustle with promotions

‘Spending well, but not overspending’

Syrian expat Aiham Joratli who has a two-year-old son and a daughter that goes to school said, “I’m spending up to Dh1,500 for my daughter, who is starting KG 2 this year. It really depends on what you choose to buy. Here in Al Ain, prices are a bit more reasonable compared to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in my opinion.”

Aiham, who works as an engineer at an automotive company, mentioned that the UAE provides a variety of options for parents, allowing them to spend according to their budget, planning, and value systems. “You can spend anywhere from Dh50 on a lunch box to Dh500 or even more,” he explained. “A complete set of two uniforms for my daughter costs Dh600.”

He added, “Then, we looked into buying a lunch box and water bottles, which would cost around Dh300-400. Naturally, when you’re making purchases, you tend to go for branded items, hoping they'll last longer. A pair of branded school shoes may cost around Dh200. If you’re buying a school bag, that could be around Dh350. We also need to factor in that costs often increase as children get older. My wife is a dentist; I also have a stable job so we believe in spending well, but not overspending.”

While Facebook pages, and various community groups on WhatsApp, are flooded with offers to exchange textbooks and reused school items, parents contend that not everything can be purchased second-hand.

Indian expat Jyoti Bhagwat – whose children go to an IB curriculum school in Dubai –said, “I am spending Dh1,700 for both my children on uniforms and stationery. My younger child has a change in uniform this year, so I have to buy new ones."

"Unfortunately, there’s only one place where we can purchase these uniforms, so we’re stuck with their set prices. There’s no option to shop around. Since my younger child is in Year 4, I need to buy multiple sets for him. Together, one regular uniform and one Physical Education uniform set costs a total of Dh600, which is quite expensive. However, the quality is often subpar especially when it comes to jackets."

She pointed out that as a result, many parents buy plain blue pants from other retail stores. “Since they are plain trousers, I buy them from regular stores because the school uniform outlets have higher costs for similar items.”

Jyoti highlighted that the expenses don’t stop there. “Both my children participate in extracurricular activities, each requiring additional uniforms. I also need to purchase a tennis racquet for my older child, who plays tennis. This year, I did not have to buy any gadgets or iPad pens, only because I purchased those last year, which would have been an added expense.”

Pre-owned uniforms as spares

The Indian expat emphasised that spending Dh300 on new bags and stationery for both of her children is fairly typical. "I bought new water bottles for them. I make it a point to buy pre-owned uniforms as backups whenever the school organises sales, because of the constant wear and tear.”

Additionally, Jyoti purchased textbooks for her secondary school child, which cost Dh1,200.

“The school provides a link for these as well, but I believe they should consider recycling books. There should be a system in place where each class hands over their books to the next class, as many of these books are barely used."

"As a working mother, I barely have time to go on social media or various platforms to search for a Year 8 book for my elder son,” she added.

Why do some parents not prefer pre-owned items?

Some parents do not prefer to select second-hand items as they might be limited, making it hard to find specific supplies, especially in good condition.

Others explained that second-hand items might show signs of wear, requiring repair or replacement sooner.

American expat Natalia Miranda said, “I bought the uniform last week, along with a PE set, spending around Dh600 in total. We purchased these from the school’s designated vendor. Additionally, I spent Dh300 on school supplies and got a new iPad pen for about Dh200. We also picked up some regular pens and pencils. We didn’t need a new school bag since we still had last year’s, but we plan to order a new lunch box and bag, which is around Dh150. We will also be buying new trainers, and a new water bottle, bringing the total back-to-school cost to about Dhs 2,000.”

Although Natalia appreciates the idea of pre-owned uniforms, she prefers to buy everything new. “Anish is our only child, and thankfully, we’re in a position to do so but I understand many may not have enough disposable income, or may have big families. I find that back-to-school expenses here are more reasonable compared to the US, so overall, it doesn’t feel too burdensome.”

Incremental costs

Some parents noted that they consider school expenses at the beginning of each academic year, but costs are also incremental as children grow.

Filipino expat Ben Lebig said, “We just have a daughter, so we’ve always factored in certain costs at the commencement of a new school year. We typically spend around Dh1,500 on new shoes and uniforms, and an additional Dh1,000 on books. That adds up to over Dh2,000. However, as Izabella is in Year 11, now additional expenses for her IGCSEs for all subjects are between Dh3,000- 4,000.”

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