Dubai salaries are paid without income tax, but the city is not cheap. For most people, rent is the biggest monthly cost, and school fees add a lot for families. This guide gives you real numbers so you can compare a Dubai offer with your current pay.
All prices are in UAE dirhams (AED) unless stated otherwise. The dirham is pegged to the US dollar at USD 1 = AED 3.6725 (u.ae).
The short version
Crowd-sourced figures from Numbeo, read on 25 September 2026 (last updated 23 September 2026, 1,738 entries from 298 contributors in the past 12 months):
| Item | Typical monthly cost in Dubai |
|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre | AED 8,800 (range 6,500–14,000) |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre | AED 5,507 (range 4,500–7,000) |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre | AED 16,577 (range 12,000–20,000) |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² apartment | AED 902 (range 541–1,500) |
| Home broadband, 60 Mbps or more | AED 341 |
| Mobile plan with 10 GB+ data | AED 201 |
| Public transport monthly pass | AED 275 |
| Single person’s costs, excluding rent | about AED 4,206 |
| Family of four’s costs, excluding rent | about AED 14,792 |
Numbeo figures come from user submissions, not official statistics. Treat them as a rough guide and check current listings before you sign anything.
Housing
Rent
Rent is often quoted per year, and some landlords ask for payment in a small number of cheques. Ask how many payments you can make, and whether the rent changes if you pay in more instalments.
The Dubai Land Department (DLD) runs an official Rental Index. It lets you calculate the average rent for an area and the rent increase a landlord can apply at renewal (Dubai Land Department). Use it before you negotiate.
Move-in costs and fees
According to the official UAE portal (u.ae):
- To sign a lease, you need your passport, residence visa and Emirates ID, plus post-dated cheques for the rent. So open a UAE bank account first.
- Some brokers charge a commission of up to 5% of the yearly rent.
- In Dubai, landlords must register the lease with the Dubai Land Department (the Ejari system). A registered lease is needed to connect water, electricity, gas and telecoms.
- Tenants in Dubai pay a Dubai Municipality housing fee of 5% of the yearly rent. It is added to your monthly electricity and water bills.
Example: on a yearly rent of AED 100,000, the housing fee is AED 5,000 a year, or about AED 417 a month on top of your utility bills.
Ask the agent for the full list of move-in costs, including any security deposit, before you commit.
Where tech workers live
Choose an area by commute first. Find out where your office is, then look at areas with an easy journey to it, for example along the same metro line. Visit at rush hour before you sign.
Utilities
In Dubai, electricity and water are supplied by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Bills are likely to be higher in summer, when air conditioning runs more.
DEWA publishes its current tariffs on its website. Remember that the 5% housing fee is added to the same bill, so your DEWA bill will be higher than your usage alone.
Home internet and mobile plans are sold by the licensed telecom operators. Numbeo puts home broadband at about AED 341 a month and a mobile plan with 10 GB+ data at about AED 201.
Transport
Dubai’s public transport, including the metro, uses the nol card. According to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA):
- A nol Silver card costs AED 25, including AED 19 of travel credit.
- A nol Gold card also costs AED 25 and gives access to Gold Class seats on the metro, at a higher fare.
- A personal (blue) nol card costs AED 70, including AED 20 of credit. It carries your name and photo.
- A nol Red paper ticket costs AED 2 and holds up to 10 single trips.
For single-trip fares and travel passes, check the current fare table on the RTA website.
If you drive, budget for a car, fuel, insurance, parking and road tolls. You can convert some foreign licences; our relocation checklist has the details.
Health insurance
In Dubai, employers must provide health insurance for their employees, and sponsors must insure their dependants (u.ae). So if your employer only covers you, you pay for your family’s cover. Ask about this before you accept an offer. See the relocation checklist for the rules.
Schools and childcare
School fees can be a major cost for families. Numbeo’s contributors put international primary school fees at about AED 65,896 a year per child (range AED 40,000–110,305), and a private full-day preschool at about AED 3,156 a month.
In Dubai, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) inspects schools and is responsible for private education (u.ae). For-profit private schools can only raise fees based on their inspection rating and the Education Cost Index (u.ae). In Abu Dhabi, the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) approves fee increases.
Ask your employer whether your package includes a school fees allowance.
Taxes you still pay
There is no personal income tax in the UAE. But there is 5% VAT on most goods and services (u.ae). Read more in our tax basics guide.
Abu Dhabi and Riyadh compared
Figures from Numbeo, read on 25 September 2026.
| Item | Abu Dhabi (AED) | Riyadh (SAR) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre | 7,222 | 4,426 |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre | 5,069 | 3,120 |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² | 674 | 380 |
| Public transport monthly pass | 98 | 140 |
| Single person’s costs, excluding rent | about 3,618 | about 3,383 |
| International primary school, per year | 56,397 | 39,763 |
Sources: Numbeo Abu Dhabi (last updated 17 September 2026) and Numbeo Riyadh (last updated 17 September 2026).
Rent in Riyadh is lower than in Dubai. Saudi Arabia charges VAT at 15% (ZATCA), compared with 5% in the UAE.
A simple budget check
Before you accept an offer, add up:
- Rent for the area you want, from current listings.
- One-off move-in costs: deposit, agency fee and registration fees.
- Monthly living costs: use the Numbeo “excluding rent” figure as a starting point.
- School fees, if you have children.
- Savings target. How much do you want to save each month?
Then compare the total with the monthly salary in your offer. Remember that allowances such as housing are part of your pay. See our salary guide for how Gulf packages are built.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to earn to live in Dubai?
Start with rent for the area you want, then add Numbeo’s figure for other monthly costs: about AED 4,206 for a single person or about AED 14,792 for a family of four. Add school fees if you have children and your savings target. Compare the total with the monthly salary in your offer, including allowances.
What fees do I pay when I rent a flat in Dubai?
Expect a Dubai Municipality housing fee of 5% of the yearly rent, added to your electricity and water bills, and possibly a broker commission of up to 5% of the yearly rent. You’ll also need post-dated cheques for the rent, so open a UAE bank account first. Ask the agent about any security deposit.
Is Abu Dhabi cheaper than Dubai?
On Numbeo’s September 2026 figures, mostly yes. A one-bedroom flat in the city centre is about AED 7,222 a month in Abu Dhabi, compared with AED 8,800 in Dubai. A single person’s costs excluding rent are about AED 3,618, compared with AED 4,206. These are crowd-sourced figures, so check current listings too.
Is Riyadh cheaper than Dubai?
Rent is lower in Riyadh. Numbeo puts a one-bedroom flat in the city centre at about SAR 4,426 a month, compared with AED 8,800 in Dubai. But Saudi Arabia charges VAT at 15%, compared with 5% in the UAE. Compare each offer against local costs in the same currency before you decide.
How much are international school fees in Dubai?
Numbeo’s contributors put international primary school fees at about AED 65,896 a year per child (range AED 40,000–110,305). A private full-day preschool is about AED 3,156 a month. In Dubai, for-profit private schools can only raise fees based on their KHDA inspection rating and the Education Cost Index. Ask whether your package includes a school fees allowance.
Does my employer pay for my family’s health insurance in Dubai?
Not necessarily. In Dubai, employers must insure their employees, and sponsors must insure their dependants. So if your employer only covers you, you pay for your family’s cover. Ask about this before you accept an offer. Our relocation checklist explains the Dubai and Abu Dhabi rules.