UAE Cost of Living & Rent Estimator

Estimate your monthly and yearly cost of living in the UAE by emirate, area, household size, housing type and school choice, then see the salary you would need.

Data last updated: . Estimates based on 2026 published data; your actual costs will vary.

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Location and housing

Rent level

Lifestyle and other costs (AED per month)

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Typical annual rents by area (AED, 2026 published data)

These are the figures behind the calculator. Ranges show a published minimum and maximum; a figure with a tilde (~) is a published median or average.

Typical annual rent in AED by emirate, area and housing type
AreaStudio1-bedroom1-2 bed apartment (average)2-bedroom3-bedroom3-bedroom villaSource
Dubai - rent-linked fee 5%
Citywide median~44,100~68,000-~103,000~180,000-DataHabibi - Dubai citywide median rents
International City25,000 - 35,00040,000 - 55,000-55,000 - 75,000--UAE Expert Hub - Dubai cost of living guide
Deira / Al Nahda (Dubai)30,000 - 45,00045,000 - 60,000-60,000 - 85,000--UAE Expert Hub - Dubai cost of living guide
Dubai Silicon Oasis-40,000 - 65,000----FC Real Estate - Dubai Silicon Oasis rents
JVC (Jumeirah Village Circle)40,000 - 55,00060,000 - 80,000-80,000 - 100,000--UAE Expert Hub - Dubai cost of living guide
Business Bay55,000 - 75,00080,000 - 110,000-120,000 - 160,000--UAE Expert Hub - Dubai cost of living guide
Dubai Marina65,000 - 85,00090,000 - 120,000-140,000 - 180,000--UAE Expert Hub - Dubai cost of living guide
Downtown Dubai75,000 - 95,000105,000 - 115,000-138,000 - 188,000--UAE Expert Hub - Dubai cost of living guide
Abu Dhabi - rent-linked fee 5%
Mohammed Bin Zayed City~33,000~40,000-~49,000~74,000~118,000MPInv analysis of ADREC (Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre) data
Khalifa City-~55,000-~85,000~137,000~150,000MPInv analysis of ADREC (Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre) data
Al Reem Island~54,000~68,000-~100,000~142,000-MPInv analysis of ADREC (Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre) data
Al Raha Beach~48,000-----MPInv analysis of ADREC (Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre) data
Yas Island-~90,800----Engel & Voelkers - Abu Dhabi market data
Saadiyat Island-~87,800----Engel & Voelkers - Abu Dhabi market data
Sharjah - rent-linked fee 0%
Al Mahatah--~35,948---Khaleej Times - Sharjah average asking rents 2026
Al Nahda (Sharjah)--~46,896---Khaleej Times - Sharjah average asking rents 2026
Al Taawun--~49,600---Khaleej Times - Sharjah average asking rents 2026
Al Majaz--~53,471---Khaleej Times - Sharjah average asking rents 2026
Al Khan--~58,925---Khaleej Times - Sharjah average asking rents 2026
Aljada-37,000 - 50,000----Bayut listings
Ajman - rent-linked fee 0%
Al Nuaimiya-24,000 - 32,000----Bayut listings

A shared room costs about AED 1,500 to 3,000 a month (ResumeMinter estimate).

How this estimator works

The estimator adds up five things: rent, rent-linked fees, school fees, everyday living costs, and (shown separately) one-time move-in costs. Every figure comes from one data file that was last updated on 1 November 2026, so nothing is hidden in the calculation code. Nothing you type is sent to ResumeMinter: the numbers are worked out in your browser.

Rent

Rents are annual AED. Where a source publishes a range, Low is the bottom of the range, High the top and Typical the midpoint. Where it publishes a single median or average, that is Typical and Low and High are 15% below and 15% above it. If you choose "Not sure", the emirate's citywide median is used where we have one, otherwise the average of the areas we have data for. You can always type your own annual rent.

Rent-linked fees

Housing or municipality fees are added to the monthly cost as a share of annual rent: Dubai 5%, Abu Dhabi 5%, Sharjah 0%, Ajman 0%. Check your own contract, because fees differ by building and municipality.

Move-in costs

A security deposit of 5% of annual rent, an agency commission of 5% (switch it off if you rent directly from the landlord or developer) and about AED 3,000 for tenancy registration and utility connection. The first rent cheque depends on how many cheques you pay in (1, 2, 4, 12). These are shown separately and are not part of the monthly total.

Schools

Tuition tiers are annual fees per child. Indian (CBSE): Budget AED 5,000-12,000; Mid-range AED 11,000-30,000; Premium AED 30,000-75,000. International: Economy (low-cost British) AED 7,000-25,000; Budget (value) AED 25,000-40,000; Mid-range AED 40,000-90,000; Premium AED 45,000-110,000. Low, Typical and High pick the bottom, middle or top of the tier range. School extras such as bus, books, uniform, devices and exam fees are added at 20% of tuition by default (you can set 15-25%). An employer education allowance is deducted from tuition, and the school cost never goes below zero. Fees in this estimator do not change by school year, so enter your actual fees if you know them.

Everyday living costs

Groceries, transport, utilities, phone and internet, a health insurance top-up, trips home, and personal spending each have Low, Typical and High presets, and you can type your own amount. The presets come from ResumeMinter's single-person and family-of-four (2 adults, 2 children) figures; other household sizes are scaled using the rules in the data file. These are planning assumptions, not surveyed prices.

Salary needed

Salary needed = monthly total divided by (1 minus your target savings rate). With the default 30% savings rate, a monthly cost of AED 10,000 means a salary of about AED 14,300. UAE salaries are not taxed, so this ignores tax; it also ignores end-of-service gratuity and one-time costs.

Rounding and currency

Dirham amounts are rounded to the nearest AED 10 and rupee amounts to the nearest 100. The default exchange rate is 26.2 rupees per dirham and you can change it in the settings.

Sources

Estimates based on 2026 published data; your actual costs will vary. This is general information, not financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a family of four need per month in Dubai?

Using a 2-bedroom at the Dubai citywide median rent, two children in mid-range Indian (CBSE) schools and a car, this estimator gives about AED 24,610 a month (₹6.45 lakh) for the Typical case, within a range of AED 18,860 (Low) to AED 30,860 (High). Rent is AED 8,580 of that and school fees AED 4,100. Switch to a different area, school tier or lifestyle above to see your own figure.

What salary do I need to live in Dubai?

At the default 30% savings rate, a single person in a studio at the Dubai median rent needs roughly AED 14,160 a month (monthly costs of AED 9,910), and a family of four in the 2-bedroom, CBSE and car case above needs roughly AED 35,160 a month. Change the savings rate in the settings to see what you would need to save more or less.

Is Sharjah cheaper than Dubai?

Usually yes for rent. For the same family of four (mid-range CBSE schools, with a car), Al Nahda in Sharjah comes to about AED 19,510 a month against about AED 24,610 in Dubai, a difference of roughly AED 5,100 a month, mostly because annual rent is about AED 46,900 against AED 103,000 and Sharjah has no rent-linked fee in this estimator. If you work in Dubai, add commuting time, Salik tolls and fuel.

How much are Indian school fees in the UAE?

Annual tuition for Indian (CBSE) schools in this estimator runs about AED 5,000-12,000 for budget schools, AED 11,000-30,000 for mid-range schools and AED 30,000-75,000 for premium schools, per child. Add about 20% for bus, books, uniform, devices and exam fees. Exact fees depend on the school and year, so check the school's fee schedule.

What upfront costs should I expect when renting in the UAE?

For a 1-bedroom in JVC at the Typical rent (AED 70,000 a year) the estimate is a AED 3,500 security deposit, AED 3,500 agency commission and about AED 3,000 for registration and utilities, so about AED 10,000, plus the first rent cheque (AED 17,500 if you pay in 4 cheques). Renting directly from the landlord or developer removes the agency commission.