DIFC parking fees in 2026: what a working day costs
Since January 2026, the main DIFC car parks have been run by Parkonic, with hourly rates of up to AED 25. That's fine for a meeting. If you work in DIFC and drive in every day, it adds up fast.
Quick answers
- How much is parking in DIFC per hour?
- Since January 2026, Gate Avenue 1 and 4 charge AED 10 an hour after one free hour a day. Gate District, Gate Village and Innovation One charge AED 25 an hour from 06:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and AED 20 an hour at other times, after one free hour. Rates include VAT.
- How much does a full working day of parking in DIFC cost?
- Paying by the hour for a nine-hour day (08:30 to 17:30), it is about AED 80 at Gate Avenue 1 or 4 and about AED 200 at Gate District, Gate Village or Innovation One.
- What are cheaper ways to park near DIFC every day?
- Options include public paid parking with a Parkin seasonal card (AED 500 a month for zones A to D, without a reserved bay), the Metro via Financial Centre station, or a monthly bay in a nearby building, such as a ParkSouq working-hours bay at AED 650 a month.
DIFC parking fees at a glance
These are the rates Parkonic announced in January 2026, including VAT.
| Car park | Free time | After the free hour |
|---|---|---|
| Gate Avenue 1 and Gate Avenue 4 | 1 hour a day, one trip | AED 10 an hour |
| Gate District, Gate Village and Innovation One (CP05) | 1 hour a day | Mon–Fri 06:00–18:00: AED 25 an hour Mon–Fri 18:00–06:00: AED 20 an hour Sat–Sun: AED 20 an hour |
You can pay automatically through your Salik account or at the machines on site. If you spend at least AED 75 at a participating outlet and validate your plate, you get up to three free hours on weekdays or five at weekends.
What a working day costs
Take a nine-hour day, 08:30 to 17:30, paid by the hour:
- Gate Avenue 1 or 4: one free hour, then 8 hours at AED 10 = AED 80 a day. Over 22 working days, that's about AED 1,760 a month.
- Gate District, Gate Village or Innovation One: one free hour, then 8 hours at AED 25 = AED 200 a day, or about AED 4,400 over 22 working days.
These are worked examples from the published hourly rates, not quotes. Check the signs or the operator's app, because rates can change.
Other ways to park near DIFC
Public paid parking
Street and plot parking in Dubai is run by Parkin and charged by the hour, with higher prices at peak times in some areas. A Parkin seasonal card for zones A, B, C and D costs AED 500 a month, as last published. It lets you park in any free public bay in those zones, but it doesn't hold a bay for you. Check the zone code on the sign near your office before you buy one.
The Metro
Financial Centre station on the Red Line serves DIFC. If you can park near a station further out, that may be the cheapest daily option.
A monthly bay in a nearby building
Many residential and office towers around DIFC have bays that sit empty during the working day. ParkSouq rents them by the month for working hours: AED 650 a month for a reserved, covered bay, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00. ParkSouq is open in DIFC. See DIFC.
Ask your employer
Some companies lease more bays than their team uses. If yours does, an unused bay might be free to you, or your company could list it on ParkSouq.
Sources
- New DIFC paid parking explained: Parkonic introduces Dh25/hr fees and free hours, Gulf News, 23 January 2026
- Dubai launches monthly parking subscriptions: prices and areas revealed, Platinumlist, 19 May 2025