According to a report by Euromonitor International, overall consumer expenditure on education in the UAE has been steadily rising, from $1.83m in 2005 to $3.4m in 2010. Compared to other GCC countries, UAE consumers were the second biggest spender in 2010, trailing behind Saudi Arabia ($5.2m). University fees have been on the rise in the UAE, with many amounting to Dhs50,000 annually, the data showed. In 2009 alone, some schools increased their fees by 12% to 20%. "Some of the more drastic increase in fees reflected the rate of inflation and the effects of the recession," the market research firm said.