Rug Prices: What Each Budget Buys
At Rugberry, a natural fibre rug in 5x8 ft / 150x240 cm starts at about AED 2,000 for handwoven jute and rises to about AED 4,900 for a handloom cashmere blend, and a 9x12 ft / 270x360 cm rug costs close to three times its 5x8 ft price. What moves a rug between those numbers is rarely the design.
In short
- At Rugberry, rug prices start from about AED 2,000 for a 5x8 ft handwoven jute rug and reach about AED 4,900 for a 5x8 ft handloom cashmere blend rug, with complimentary delivery across the UAE.
- Most Rugberry New Zealand wool rugs, hand tufted or handloom, start between about AED 2,600 and AED 3,400 in 5x8 ft.
- A 9x12 ft rug covers 108 sq ft, about 2.7 times the floor of a 5x8 ft rug, so it costs far more than the 5x8 ft from price.
- Hand knotting adds cost for the same floor: the hand-knotted Savannah Jute Rug costs about 1.7 times as much per square foot as the handwoven Kora Jute Rug.
It is the fibre, the way the rug is built, and how many square feet of floor it covers. Prices on the site are shown in AED, and delivery across the UAE is complimentary.
What sets the price of a rug?
Three things set the price of a rug: the fibre, the construction and the area in square feet.
Fibre
Jute is a plant fibre that is plentiful and quick to spin, so it sits at the lower end. Wool costs more, and the finer the wool, the more it costs.
Wool and silk blends, silk and cashmere blends add another step, because these yarns are finer, harder to dye evenly and slower to work. When two similar rugs differ by AED 1,500, check the fibre line first.
Construction
Construction is a measure of hand time. A flatweave or handloom rug is built row by row on a loom. A hand-tufted rug is made by punching yarn through a cloth with a hand-held tool.
A hand-knotted rug is tied one knot at a time on a vertical loom, which is why it costs more for the same area. None is a lesser rug, only a different trade-off.
Area
A "from" price almost always refers to the smallest size, and rug sizes do not grow in a straight line:
| Stock size | Floor covered | Compared with 5x8 ft |
|---|---|---|
| 5x8 ft / 150x240 cm | 40 sq ft | 1x |
| 6x9 ft / 180x270 cm | 54 sq ft | about 1.4x |
| 8x10 ft / 240x300 cm | 80 sq ft | 2x |
| 9x12 ft / 270x360 cm | 108 sq ft | about 2.7x |
| 10x14 ft / 300x420 cm | 140 sq ft | 3.5x |
| 12x15 ft / 360x450 cm | 180 sq ft | 4.5x |
So the Grain Wool Rug listed from AED 3,300 is AED 8,800 in 9x12 ft. Before you set a budget, decide the size, then look at prices for that size on each product page.
What does each budget buy at Rugberry?
In 5x8 ft, about AED 2,000 buys a handwoven jute rug at Rugberry, AED 2,600 to AED 3,400 a New Zealand wool rug, AED 3,000 to AED 3,100 a wool and silk, silk or ombré rug, AED 4,900 a cashmere blend rug, and AED 3,400 a hand-knotted jute rug.
About AED 2,000: handwoven jute
This band holds handwoven jute, such as the Kora Jute Rug from about AED 2,000 in 5x8 ft and AED 3,900 in 8x10 ft / 240x300 cm. There is no pile, so it feels firm and textured rather than soft.
In return they suit hard-working places: an entrance where shoes come off, under a dining table, a passage that sees the whole family every day. Jute does not like damp, so keep it away from bathroom doors and wet terraces.
About AED 2,600 to AED 3,400: New Zealand wool
Most of the range sits here. Hand-tufted New Zealand wool rugs such as the Ivory Wool Rug start from about AED 2,900. The handloom Grain Wool Rug in flax starts from about AED 3,300, with a low, closely worked surface that suits dining rooms because chairs slide over it.
The deeper Plush Wool Rug starts from about AED 3,400, and the Luma silk and Cabella wool and silk rugs start from about AED 3,100 and AED 3,000.
About AED 3,100 to AED 4,900: gradients and the cashmere blend
The ombré rugs, dyed in slow gradations, start from about AED 3,100. The Cashmere Blend Rug in natural, handloom woven in cashmere, starts from about AED 4,900. You are paying for a finer, softer hand rather than a harder-wearing one, so these belong in bedrooms and quieter sitting rooms.
Hand knotted
The Savannah Jute Rug in natural is hand knotted and starts from about AED 3,400 in 5x8 ft, rising to AED 9,100 in 9x12 ft. The Reserve fibres, merino, mohair and alpaca, are also hand knotted and made entirely to your measure. This is the most durable way a rug can be made, and the price reflects the hand time in every knot rather than a different look.
How do you compare rug prices fairly?
Compare rugs by price per square foot: divide the price by the area in sq ft. Using the from prices above:
- Kora Jute Rug, 5x8 ft at AED 2,000: roughly AED 50 per sq ft.
- Grain Wool Rug, 5x8 ft at AED 3,300: roughly AED 83 per sq ft.
- Savannah Jute Rug, 9x12 ft at AED 9,100: roughly AED 84 per sq ft.
The rate can shift a little between sizes, so treat these as a way to read the range, not a quote. What the numbers show clearly is that a hand-knotted jute rug costs about 1.7 times as much per square foot as a handwoven one. Our guide to hand knotted and hand tufted rugs explains where that money goes.
Hand knotting adds real cost to the same floor, because every knot is tied by hand.
Where should you spend more on a rug?
Spend more on the rug you see every day, usually the main living room rug, and on bedroom rugs where feet are bare. For a busy family home, choose a wool rug in the AED 2,600 to AED 3,400 band over a finer blend, because wool handles daily spills and traffic better.
- Spend on the rug you see every day. The main living room rug sets the room, so put more of a fixed budget here.
- Spend on feel where feet are bare. Beside a bed, the first step of the morning is on the rug. This is where a plush pile or a cashmere blend earns its price.
What if no stock size fits your room?
If no stock size fits, order a custom size, since many majlis and villa rooms are not shaped for 8x10 or 9x12. Most Rugberry designs can be made to any size and colour through the customisable rugs route. A custom rug is priced on the same logic, area and construction, so the per square foot figure above is a fair way to estimate before you ask.
What should you check before buying a rug?
Check four things before you pay: the fibre, the construction, the price for your size, and a swatch.
- The fibre line on the product page, word for word.
- The construction: handwoven, handloom, hand tufted or hand knotted.
- The price for the size you actually need, in AED.
- A swatch where one is offered, so you see colour in your own light.
Our tips for buying handmade rugs online cover the rest, and a good look at fine rugs goes deeper into the top of the range.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a 9x12 ft rug cost so much more than a 5x8 ft one?
Because it covers 108 sq ft against 40 sq ft, close to three times the yarn and hand time. The jump in price follows the area, not a premium for size.
Are Rugberry prices shown in dirhams?
Yes. Prices on product pages are in AED, and delivery across the UAE is complimentary. Choose your size first, since the price follows the area.
Is a jute rug cheaper to own than a wool one?
It is cheaper to buy, and it handles dry, heavy foot traffic well. It is less forgiving of water and stains than wool, so in a home where spills are common, a wool rug in the AED 2,600 to AED 3,400 band can be the calmer choice.
Choose the size first, then the fibre, then the price. Material first.
