it isnt cheap �15 is about right, but if you eat in Karama and places where the Indian workers eat, they certainly cant afford �15 each day, try Ravis in Karama, there are lots of Lebo [ Lebanese] restaurants too that dont cost that much, and the food is good, there are also shwarma sandwich shops and chicken rotisseries in the street, what area are you staying ?but if you want to be with the Brits then you will have to pay, Dubai isnt the place to visit on a shoestring, however you did mention earlier that you were staying with friends, well when I lived there we used to pick up the tab most times when we realised friends/relations were struggling to keep up. I did wonder about you when you firstly said which airline was cheapest, then how to get cheapest fags and I dont know how you are going to pick up cheaper fags and you have said that you only have 30 mins to get your connecting flight, people dont hurry when serving you in the Middle East, they pass the time of day with you.
yes Dubai has always been expensive but the Brits earn salaries to keep up with the economy.Pls dont think I am critising you I am only trying to be practical to prepare you, a night out with booze is going to cost much more than �15 per head, but having said that if you have decent friends they will make sure you are alright and you enjoy yourself, most Brit activity takes place in the pub or in private country clubs and there are usually lots of parties and barbeques you will be invited to, what they dont want to hear is someone moaning about the cost though , do that and they will drop you.
Are you staying in Dubai or Sharjah ? the latter is cheaper but they dont sell booze [ except at the Sharjah Wanderers Rugby club], if its Jumerah in Dubai you are staying then its pricey, you will soon find your way round things.
good luck.
ps see if you can fix yourself up with a job whilst there, it does happen, friends can help with that.