--- title: "Where to Buy Carton Boxes in Dubai: The Retail Price Comparison" description: "Carton boxes Dubai price comparison: IKEA, Carrefour, Ace Hardware, Amazon.ae and two Al Quoz wholesalers at AED 4-6 per box — plus boxes delivered from AED 10." canonical: "https://samadubaimovers.com/blog/where-to-buy-carton-boxes-dubai-price-comparison" source: "https://samadubaimovers.com/blog/where-to-buy-carton-boxes-dubai-price-comparison" site: "SAMA Movers" author: "SAMA Movers Team" category: "Moving Tips" published: "2026-04-21" tags: "moving boxes, Dubai, packing supplies, cost guide" --- # Where to Buy Carton Boxes in Dubai: The Retail Price Comparison > From IKEA to Al Quoz wholesalers: the real per-box price across seven Dubai retailers, including the two suppliers nobody puts in their blog posts. You need boxes. How many depends on what you're moving. Where you buy them determines whether it costs AED 200 or AED 900 for the same quantity. The gap is wider than most people realise because two of the best sources in Dubai don't advertise to consumers. This is a real, line-item comparison of carton box prices across seven Dubai retailers. All prices current as of last month's visits to each store. ## The Seven Sources Ranked by Price ### 1. Al Nakheel Packaging (Al Quoz, Industrial Area 3) The cheapest legitimate source in Dubai for standard corrugated boxes. Minimum order: 20 boxes. - 50L double-wall medium: **AED 4.50 per box** (20+ qty) - 75L double-wall large: **AED 6 per box** (20+ qty) - Wardrobe carton (with hanging bar): **AED 22 per box** Cash only. You pick up. Located on 7A Street behind Al Quoz Mall area — a 5-minute drive from Sheikh Zayed Road's Mashreq Metro exit. Ask for Rajesh; he's run the counter for a decade. ### 2. PacTec Trading (Al Quoz, Industrial Area 4) The second wholesaler nobody lists. Similar price structure, slightly better carton quality, accepts card. - 50L double-wall: **AED 5 per box** (20+ qty) - 65L large: **AED 6.50** - Flat bundles of 25 assorted sizes: **AED 110-135** They'll also sell bubble wrap by the metre (AED 2-3/m depending on width) and packing tape (AED 5-7 per roll — half the price of supermarkets). ### 3. Amazon.ae Bulk Packs Convenient for delivery but not cheapest. A 10-pack of medium moving boxes runs AED 75-95. Per-box cost: AED 7.50-9.50. Worth it if you need same-day delivery and can't visit Al Quoz. ### 4. Carrefour and Lulu Large supermarkets stock basic corrugated boxes in the storage/stationery aisle. Price range: - Small (30L): AED 7-9 - Medium (50L): AED 9-12 - Large (70L): AED 14-18 Quality is inconsistent — single-wall, thinner than wholesale grade. Fine for lightweight items (clothes, linens), not for books or dishware. ### 5. Ace Hardware Better quality than supermarkets. Double-wall construction. - Medium moving box: AED 15-18 - Large moving box: AED 22-25 - Wardrobe carton: AED 45-55 Stores in Mirdif, Barsha, and Motor City. Also carry mattress covers (AED 22-30), bubble wrap rolls (AED 35-60), and stretch wrap. ### 6. IKEA IKEA's SKRATTIG cardboard boxes are 73L and run AED 18-22 each. Good quality, standardised sizing — so they stack well. Pricey per unit but convenient for 5-10 box purchases while you're buying the rest of your flat's furniture anyway. Also consider FRAKTA bags (AED 5-8) for soft items. ### 7. Virgin Megastore / Office Supply Chains Avoid unless absolutely necessary. Single boxes for AED 20-35 each — often sold alongside gift-wrapping supplies. The worst per-box economics in Dubai. ## Typical Box Counts by Home Size | Home | Small (30L) | Medium (50L) | Large (70L) | Wardrobe | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Studio | 6-8 | 8-12 | 2-4 | 1-2 | | 1-Bed | 8-12 | 15-20 | 4-6 | 2-3 | | 2-Bed | 12-18 | 25-35 | 6-10 | 3-4 | | 3-Bed Villa | 18-25 | 40-55 | 10-15 | 4-6 | Run the math. A 2-bed apartment needs roughly 55 boxes including a few wardrobe cartons. At Al Nakheel: AED 295 total. At Ace Hardware: AED 1,080. At a supermarket: AED 650. Same job, wildly different cost. ## Buying Boxes From SAMA Movers We sell boxes directly, delivered to your door: - **Standard carton box — AED 10** - **Wardrobe / hanger box (with hanging rail) — AED 20** - Delivery is charged separately and depends on where you are — we quote it with the boxes, so you know the total before ordering. Be clear about what that is and isn't. At AED 10 a box we are not competing with the Al Quoz wholesalers on price — they are cheaper per unit and always will be. What you are paying for is not driving to Industrial Area 3 with cash, not discovering the minimum order is 20 boxes, and not making a second trip when you run short on packing night. If you have a free morning and a car boot, the wholesale run genuinely saves money. Where buying from us makes obvious sense: you are already booking a move or [packing service](https://samadubaimovers.com/services/packing-services) with us and want the boxes to arrive with the crew, you need wardrobe boxes (which supermarkets don't stock and wholesalers charge around AED 22 for anyway), or you have run out mid-pack and need boxes today rather than tomorrow. We also bring bubble wrap, stretch film, masking tape, moving blankets and mattress covers on the same delivery — ask for what you need when you get the box quote. ## Other Packing Materials Worth Sourcing at Al Quoz - **Bubble wrap** — AED 2-3/m at wholesale (AED 8-12/m at supermarkets) - **Packing tape** — AED 5-7/roll (AED 12-18/roll at supermarkets) - **Stretch wrap** — AED 22-30/roll (AED 45-60/roll at supermarkets) - **Silica gel sachets** — AED 0.30 each at Desert Chemicals in Al Quoz; essential for summer moves - **Mattress covers** — AED 12-18 at wholesale (AED 25-35 at Ace) Our [full packing supplies guide](https://samadubaimovers.com/blog/moving-boxes-packing-supplies-dubai-guide) covers the other materials you'll need. For heat-resistant materials specifically, see our [summer packing kit article](https://samadubaimovers.com/blog/heat-resistant-packing-materials-dubai-guide). ## The Free Boxes Route If you have flexibility, free boxes are abundant in Dubai. Supermarkets give away leftover produce boxes after 9pm. Dubizzle has daily listings of 'moving boxes free' from recent movers. Community Facebook groups for JVC, Marina, and Mirdif regularly post boxes after weekend moves. Trade-offs: inconsistent sizes make stacking a nightmare, produce boxes sometimes smell faintly, and you spend 2-3 evenings collecting them. For a small move, it saves AED 200-400. For a big one, the time cost outweighs the savings. For protection tips that make even cheap boxes perform well, our [furniture protection guide](https://samadubaimovers.com/blog/protect-furniture-moving-dubai) walks through the packing method. Or [get a SAMA packing quote](https://samadubaimovers.com/#estimate) and skip the whole box hunt. Our [Al Quoz movers](https://samadubaimovers.com/movers-in-dubai/al-quoz) also deliver boxes same-day if you're pressed for time. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What's the cheapest place to buy moving boxes in Dubai? Al Nakheel Packaging and PacTec Trading, both in Al Quoz Industrial Areas 3 and 4, sell standard 50L double-wall cartons at AED 4.50-5 per box for orders of 20+. That's less than half the price of supermarkets or Ace Hardware. Al Nakheel is cash-only; PacTec accepts cards. ### How many boxes do I need for a 2-bed apartment move? Typically 50-65 boxes for a 2-bed: around 12-18 small (books, kitchen items), 25-35 medium (linens, general), 6-10 large (lightweight bulky items), and 3-4 wardrobe cartons for hanging clothes. Families with kids add 10-15 boxes; minimalists subtract 10. A SAMA site survey gives an exact count based on your inventory. ### Are IKEA boxes good for moving? SKRATTIG cardboard boxes are sturdy and standardised — they stack well and can be reused for storage. At AED 18-22 each they're not the cheapest option, but if you're picking up IKEA furniture anyway, adding 10-15 boxes to the trip is efficient. For larger moves, Al Quoz wholesalers beat IKEA on per-box price by a factor of 3-4. ### Does SAMA provide boxes as part of a move? Yes. We sell boxes with or without a move booking — AED 10 for a standard carton and AED 20 for a wardrobe box with a hanging rail, delivered to your door. Delivery is charged separately and depends on your area, quoted with the boxes. The Al Quoz wholesalers are cheaper per box if you can collect in person; we are the option when you want them brought to you, need wardrobe boxes, or run short mid-pack. --- ## About SAMA Movers SAMA Movers is a licensed moving company serving Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman: villa and apartment moves, office relocation, packing, furniture moving, handyman work and storage. - Website: https://samadubaimovers.com - Phone: 054 552 0191 - Email: info@samadubaimovers.com - Address: Al Quoz Industrial Area 3, Dubai, UAE - Canonical HTML version of this page: https://samadubaimovers.com/blog/where-to-buy-carton-boxes-dubai-price-comparison