Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE
AED 125,291 / 5 yr
AED 2,088/moAED 1.39/km
Lowest 5-yr cost
EV vs petrol cost in Abu Dhabi, UAE (2026) — the true 5-year total
As of July 2026: of the 36 models we price, the cheapest to own over 5 years in Abu Dhabi, UAE is the MG 5 1.5L STD at AED 76,842 — a petrol car. The cheapest electric, the BYD Atto 3 FWD (AED 122,055), runs about AED 45,213 more — we say it plainly when the petrol or hybrid car wins.
What an EV really costs to own in Abu Dhabi versus petrol or a hybrid, at Abu Dhabi's electricity price of 30.00c/kWh — depreciation, charging, insurance, maintenance and registration, every figure sourced and dated. Petrol, fuel and incentives are UAE-wide; only electricity changes by emirate.
Example comparison — change the vehicles belowOver 5 years, the Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE (hybrid) is the cheapest at AED 125,291 — about AED 45,825 less than the Tesla Model Y RWD (AED 2,088/mo, AED 1.39/km).
Total cost of ownership, cheapest first
Tesla Model Y RWD
AED 171,116 / 5 yr
AED 2,852/moAED 1.90/km
+AED 45,825 more than the Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE (37%)
Tesla Model 3 RWD
AED 171,753 / 5 yr
AED 2,863/moAED 1.91/km
+AED 46,462 more than the Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE (37%)
Cumulative cost over time
Total spend by each year — purchase, charging/fuel, depreciation, insurance and financing combined. Where two lines cross is your payback point.
Tesla Model Y RWDToyota Camry Hybrid XLETesla Model 3 RWD
Tesla Model Y RWD never beats Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE within 5 yrs · Tesla Model 3 RWD never beats Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE within 5 yrs
Where the money goes (full breakdown)
| Cost component | Electric · Tesla Model Y RWD | Hybrid · Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE | Electric · Tesla Model 3 RWD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | AED 104,568 (61%) | AED 65,468 (52%) | AED 104,628 (61%) |
| Charging / fuel | AED 4,707 (3%) | AED 10,956 (9%) | AED 5,265 (3%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~AED 565) | — | 12% (~AED 632) |
| Maintenance | AED 7,128 (4%) | AED 8,253 (7%) | AED 7,128 (4%) |
| Insurance | AED 22,500 (13%) | AED 17,500 (14%) | AED 22,500 (13%) |
| Financing interest | AED 32,213 (19%) | AED 23,114 (18%) | AED 32,232 (19%) |
| Registration & fees | AED 0 (0%) | AED 0 (0%) | AED 0 (0%) |
| Total cost of ownership | AED 171,116 | AED 125,291 | AED 171,753 |
Abu Dhabi reference numbers
- Electricity (Abu Dhabi)
- 30.00c/kWhDEWA / ADDC · 2026-08-06
- Petrol (UAE)
- AED3.29/LUAE Fuel Price Committee
- Charging loss (modeled)
- 12%EPA / SAE J1634
- Maintenance (AED/yr)
- EV AED1426 vs petrol AED1921est.
- Insurance (AED/yr, avg)
- EV AED 4,500 vs petrol AED 3,000est.
- EV purchase rebate
- none (non-cash perks only)RTA
What is different about Abu Dhabi's numbers
Home electricity in Abu Dhabi is 30.00c/kWh — 3.4% above the 29.00c UAE average (DEWA / ADDC, 2026-08-06), which makes Abu Dhabi 2nd cheapest of the 3 emirates we price, between Dubai at 29.00c and Sharjah at 30.00c. Petrol stays UAE-wide at AED3.29/L (UAE Fuel Price Committee), as do registration and incentives, so Abu Dhabi changes exactly one input on this page.
What the DEWA / ADDC figure for Abu Dhabi actually is: Abu Dhabi tariffs differ slightly from Dubai; modeled close to the DEWA home-charging blend. Medium confidence.
Run all 30 models that have their own cost page through the kernel at both rate sets and the average electric car's 5-year total in Abu Dhabi lands AED 189 above its UAE-average figure, while a petrol or hybrid car's total does not move by a cent — in UAE only electricity changes by emirate. Net effect: Abu Dhabi widens the gap an EV has to close by about AED 189. At Abu Dhabi rates EVs take 1 of the 8 head-to-head matchups we track, against 1 at the UAE average — we publish that whichever way it falls.
Take one car — a BYD Atto 3 FWD — and keeping it charged in Abu Dhabi for 5 years costs AED 213 more than in Dubai, the cheapest emirate, and AED 0 less than in Sharjah, the dearest.
Running cost at Abu Dhabi prices: a BYD Atto 3 FWD draws about AED 5.45 of electricity per 100 km charging at home in Abu Dhabi with the ~12% charging loss counted, against AED 23.03 of petrol for a 7 L/100km car — a petrol car would have to do 1.7 L/100km to match the EV's energy bill in Abu Dhabi. Only the most frugal small hybrids get near that, so on energy alone an EV is still well ahead in Abu Dhabi. Energy is only one line of the total: depreciation and insurance decide the 5-year figure, which is why most of the matchups on this page still go to the petrol or hybrid car.
Sorting all 30 models by 5-year cost at Abu Dhabi rates leaves every one of them in exactly the position it holds nationally: Abu Dhabi's electricity sits close enough to the UAE average that nothing changes order.
Abu Dhabi is also the most expensive emirate in UAE for 7 of them.
Cheapest to own in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Ranked by true 5-year cost at Abu Dhabi's own electricity rate (18,000 km/yr, all-in). Tap a column to sort, or filter by type:
| Type | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MG 5 1.5L STD | Petrol | AED 49,000 | AED 76,842 | AED 1,281 |
| Kia Pegas 1.4L (Type 12) | Petrol | AED 53,445 | AED 80,182 | AED 1,336 |
| Toyota Raize 1.2L (E grade) | Petrol | AED 63,900 | AED 84,729 | AED 1,412 |
| Toyota Yaris 1.5L sedan | Petrol | AED 64,900 | AED 85,151 | AED 1,419 |
| Nissan Sunny 1.6L S | Petrol | AED 61,500 | AED 85,670 | AED 1,428 |
| Suzuki Jimny 1.5 GL 3-Door AT | Petrol | AED 74,900 | AED 99,733 | AED 1,662 |
| Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid | Hybrid | AED 89,900 | AED 101,280 | AED 1,688 |
| Toyota Corolla 2.0L petrol | Petrol | AED 83,900 | AED 103,531 | AED 1,726 |
| BYD Seal 6 Design (DM-i PHEV) | Plug-in hybrid | AED 87,900 | AED 110,265 | AED 1,838 |
| Jetour X70 Plus 1.6T Comfort | Petrol | AED 89,000 | AED 111,931 | AED 1,866 |
| BYD Atto 3 FWD | Electric | AED 109,900 | AED 122,055 | AED 2,034 |
| BYD Seal RWD Dynamic | Electric | AED 129,900 | AED 137,776 | AED 2,296 |
| BYD Song Plus DM-i | Plug-in hybrid | AED 118,900 | AED 138,803 | AED 2,313 |
| Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Topline | Plug-in hybrid | AED 153,000 | AED 166,369 | AED 2,773 |
| Tesla Model Y RWD | Electric | AED 174,280 | AED 171,116 | AED 2,852 |
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | Electric | AED 174,380 | AED 171,753 | AED 2,863 |
That is the Abu Dhabi-relevant slice of the fleet. All 30 models we price, at the UAE average rate, are on the UAE hub.
Matchups that change hands in Abu Dhabi
None of them. All 8 head-to-head matchups come out the same way at Abu Dhabi rates as at the UAE average: Abu Dhabi's electricity price moves an average EV's 5-year total by AED 189, which is never enough to change a winner in Abu Dhabi. All 8 UAE matchups →
Emirates whose numbers look like Abu Dhabi's
Closest matches to Abu Dhabi on home electricity and pump price — where the same car lands nearest to its Abu Dhabi total — plus the cheapest and dearest emirates in UAE to run an EV:
Abu Dhabi is one of 3 emirates we price: see all of them, and the full 30-model directory →
← All UAE EV costs (national average)
FAQ
Is an electric car cheaper to own than a petrol car in Abu Dhabi, UAE?
Usually not at typical mileage, as of July 2026: the cheapest model we track in Abu Dhabi, UAE is the MG 5 1.5L STD (a petrol car) at AED 76,842 over 5 years, while the cheapest electric — the BYD Atto 3 FWD at AED 122,055 — runs about AED 45,213 more. High mileage or cheap home charging can flip it; each comparison page shows exactly when.
Which EV is cheapest to own in Abu Dhabi, UAE?
As of July 2026, the BYD Atto 3 FWD — about AED 122,055 over 5 years all-in: depreciation, charging (including losses), insurance, maintenance, registration and financing.
What do electricity and petrol cost in Abu Dhabi, UAE right now?
Our totals use 30.00c/kWh for home electricity (DEWA / ADDC) and AED3.29/L for petrol (UAE Fuel Price Committee), as of August 6, 2026.
What does the 5-year total include?
Depreciation, charging or fuel (including the ~12% AC charging loss most calculators omit), insurance, maintenance, registration and financing interest — every source dated.
How much does it cost to charge an EV in Abu Dhabi?
About AED 5.45 per 100 km charging at home at Abu Dhabi's residential rate (30.00c/kWh, DEWA / ADDC), including the ~12% charging loss — using a BYD Atto 3 FWD as the reference. A petrol car doing 7 L/100km burns about AED 23.03 over the same distance. Cost to charge every model in UAE →
Estimates for planning, not financial advice. UAE depreciation, insurance and maintenance are dated estimates calibrated to UAE sources. How we calculate →