Etihad Water and Electricity charges expatriate households 23 fils per kWh8 for the first slab, plus 5 fils per kWh12, rising to 38 fils per kWh11 above the top threshold. UAE citizens on its tariff pay 7.5 fils per kWh7. In Qatar, Kahramaa's residential tariff starts at QAR 0.11 per kWh3.
How a slab tariff works
Both tariffs below are stepped. Each block of consumption is charged at its own rate, and the rate rises as use goes up. The longer the AC runs in a month, the more of that month's electricity is billed in the higher slabs.
Show the data as a table
| Item | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 2,000 kWh | 23 | Etihad Water and Electricity, tariff | |
| 2,001 to 4,000 kWh | 28 | Etihad Water and Electricity, tariff | |
| 4,001 to 6,000 kWh | 32 | Etihad Water and Electricity, tariff | |
| Above 6,000 kWh | 38 | Etihad Water and Electricity, tariff | |
| UAE citizens, single slab | 7.5 | Etihad Water and Electricity, tariff |
Sources: Etihad Water and Electricity, tariff.
Expatriate slabs also carry a surcharge per kWh. The citizen tariff has none.
As a worked example from those rates, 1,000 kWh in the first expatriate slab costs AED 280 including the surcharge, and AED 75 at the citizen rate. The tariff page does not mention VAT, so check your bill for it.
Qatar: Kahramaa's residential tariff
Kahramaa publishes the same four bands for flats and villas, and its tariff page shows no separate rate for Qatari and non-Qatari households.
Show the data as a table
| Item | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2,000 kWh | 0.11 | Kahramaa (Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation), tariff | |
| 2,001 to 4,000 kWh | 0.13 | Kahramaa (Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation), tariff | |
| 4,001 to 15,000 kWh | 0.18 | Kahramaa (Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation), tariff | |
| Above 15,000 kWh | 0.26 | Kahramaa (Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation), tariff |
Sources: Kahramaa (Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation), tariff.
In the first band, 1,000 kWh comes to QAR 110, calculated from the published rate.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Kuwait
DEWA in Dubai, TAQA Distribution in Abu Dhabi, SEWA in Sharjah and Kuwait's Ministry of Electricity and Water each set their own residential tariffs, and some charge nationals and expatriates differently. We could not load their tariff pages to check the figures when this guide was written, so we do not print numbers for them. Your bill shows the slabs you were charged, and the utility's own website carries the current table.
How to read the UAE efficiency label
The UAE launched an efficiency-labelling scheme for window and split-unit air conditioners, eliminating highly inefficient units from the market1. The label is issued by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, which grades products on five star levels, from 1 to 52. Its fees point the same way as the stars: the Ministry charges nothing to label a 5-star product and the most for 1 star.
- When you replace a unit, compare the star rating on the label, not only the purchase price.
- Ask the installer for the model number and check that the label on the box matches it.
- Remember that the purchase price is paid once, while the tariff applies every month the unit runs.
We have not verified a Qatari or Kuwaiti labelling scheme from an official page, so this guide covers the UAE label only.
Where maintenance fits in
Servicing will not change your tariff. If your bill rises while the thermostat setting stays the same, have the filters and coil checked before assuming the unit is failing. Prices are in the Dubai service cost guide, and the repair guide covers when replacing an old, inefficient unit is worth discussing.
Tariffs are copied from the utilities' own pages on the date shown in the source list. Check your latest bill before relying on them.