Free tool · Dubai salary calculator
Is moving to Dubai worth it? UAE relocation calculator
This Dubai salary calculator compares your take-home pay at home with a tax-free UAE offer. It applies your home country's tax brackets, converts to AED and models rent, schooling and gratuity in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, so you can see what you would actually save.
Extra savings in the UAE
/month
Over five years incl. gratuity:
- Home savings
- per month
- UAE savings
- per month
Package needed to match your home savings:
Five-year cumulative savings
At home
- Gross / year
- Tax & contributions
- Effective rate
- Net / month
UAE monthly costs
- Total
- Gratuity accrual / yr
Method
How the Dubai salary calculator works
Every figure the tool uses is shown here, so you can judge the result and adjust it to your own situation.
1. Your net pay at home
We apply the published income tax brackets (and, where relevant, social contributions) for your home country to your gross salary. If your country is not listed, choose “Other” and enter your effective tax rate. The result is converted to AED at the exchange rate you enter.
2. Your UAE package
You enter a monthly total package in AED and the share that is basic salary. There is no income tax deduction on the UAE side, so the package is treated as take-home pay.
3. UAE living costs
Monthly costs are built from rent for your chosen emirate and home size, utilities, a per-adult living budget scaled by lifestyle, transport, and school fees for each child. Health insurance for dependants is added only if you say your employer does not cover them.
4. Five-year view
Savings on both sides grow by the yearly raise you set. The UAE side also accrues end-of-service gratuity at 21 days' basic salary per year, which is the rate for the first five years of service.
Indicative planning figures
Rents are indicative 2026 monthly figures for unfurnished homes in mid-range communities. School fees are modelled at about AED 25,000 (budget), AED 45,000 (mid-range) and AED 85,000 (premium) per child per year. Real prices vary widely by community, building and curriculum, so check current listings before you decide.
Cost of living in Dubai 2026
Cost of living in Dubai vs Abu Dhabi vs Sharjah
Rent is the biggest single line in most UAE budgets. These are the indicative monthly rents the calculator uses for each emirate.
| Home size | Dubai | Abu Dhabi | Sharjah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared room | AED 3,000 | AED 2,700 | AED 1,800 |
| Studio | AED 5,500 | AED 4,500 | AED 2,800 |
| 1 bedroom | AED 8,000 | AED 6,800 | AED 3,800 |
| 2 bedrooms | AED 11,500 | AED 9,500 | AED 5,000 |
| 3 bedrooms | AED 16,000 | AED 13,500 | AED 6,800 |
| School fees, per child per year | Budget ~AED 25,000 · Mid-range ~AED 45,000 · Premium ~AED 85,000 | ||
Indicative monthly rents in AED for unfurnished homes in mid-range communities, used for planning only. Prime areas can cost far more; older buildings and outer communities less.
Dubai
The largest job market and the widest choice of communities, from Dubai Marina to Al Barsha and Dubai Silicon Oasis. Expect the highest rents of the three, especially near metro stations.
Abu Dhabi
The capital, with many government-linked, energy and finance employers. Comparable homes generally rent for less than in Dubai, and packages for similar roles are often competitive.
Sharjah
The lowest rents of the three and popular with families working in Dubai. Factor in commuting time and fuel or tolls before counting the saving as pure profit.
Is Dubai worth it?
What really decides whether a UAE move pays off
Tax-free pay is only half the story. These are the factors that make the biggest difference to what you keep.
No personal income tax
Housing is the big cost
School fees for families
End-of-service gratuity
Health insurance
Allowances you can negotiate
UAE tax-free salary: what it does and does not mean
The UAE does not levy personal income tax, and the Federal Tax Authority confirms that an employee's salary is not subject to UAE Corporate Tax. What you are paid is what you receive.
“Tax-free” in the UAE does not automatically mean tax-free everywhere. Some countries tax citizens or residents on worldwide income, and many have rules that keep you tax-resident until you meet specific tests for leaving. Rental income, investments or a business you keep at home may also stay taxable there.
Before you rely on the savings figure above, check your departure and residency position with a qualified tax adviser in your home country. See the UAE Government taxation overview for the local rules.
VAT at 5% does apply to most goods and services in the UAE. Build it into your everyday budget, alongside the lifestyle setting in the calculator.
End of service gratuity calculator: the rules
For full-time employees in the UAE private sector, gratuity is based on your last basic salary, not your total package:
- At least one year of continuous service is needed to qualify.
- 21 days' basic salary for each of the first five years.
- 30 days' basic salary for each year after the fifth.
- The total is capped at two years' wages.
Illustrative example: on a package of AED 22,000 with a 60% basic share, basic pay is AED 13,200 a month, or AED 440 a day. Five years earns 5 × 21 × 440 = AED 46,200. Two further years at 30 days add AED 26,400, a total of AED 72,600.
The rules differ for DIFC employers and for UAE nationals in the pension system. Always confirm against the official u.ae gratuity guidance or with MOHRE.
Negotiation
How to negotiate a UAE package
Once the calculator shows your break-even figure, use it. These are the levers that move the numbers most.
-
1
Negotiate from your break-even number
Know the monthly package you need to match your current savings before the first call. Anything below it is a lifestyle decision, not a financial one.
-
2
Ask for the full breakdown
Request basic, housing, transport and any other allowances in writing. Two offers with the same total can be worth very different amounts once gratuity is counted.
-
3
Push for a higher basic share
A larger basic salary increases gratuity and, at many employers, bonus and overtime calculations. It costs some employers little to restructure.
-
4
Clarify family benefits
Check whether health insurance, visas, annual flights and education allowances cover your spouse and children, and whether school fees are capped per child.
-
5
Price the move itself
Ask for a relocation allowance, temporary accommodation for the first two to four weeks and help with the first rent cheque, which can be paid a year in advance.
-
6
Get it in the contract
Verbal promises do not count. Make sure every allowance and the probation terms appear in the offer letter and the MOHRE-registered contract.
Still looking for the right offer? Browse current jobs in Dubai and the GCC, get a recruiter-written CV tailored for UAE employers, or read our Dubai job search eBook for negotiation scripts.
FAQ
UAE relocation questions, answered
Salary, tax, gratuity and cost of living: what professionals ask before moving to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah.
Related resources
Plan the rest of your move
Relocation services
Find jobs in the GCC
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