Is 12,000 AED a good salary in Dubai?
In the cost model behind our calculator, 12,000 AED a month only just covers the mid-range setup for a single person. It covers only the budget setup for a couple on one salary. It does not cover a family of four with two children at school in either setup.
- Single person: 130 AED left a month in a 1-bed flat in JLT (1% of salary), or 6,550 AED (55%) in a studio in Deira on a budget.
- Couple on one salary: short by 870 AED a month in a 1-bed flat in JLT. On a budget in a 1-bed flat in Deira, 3,870 AED is left (32% of salary).
- Family of four: short by 14,620 AED a month in a 2-bed flat in JLT, and by 10,120 AED in a 2-bed flat in Deira on a budget. Costs include 10,000 AED a month of school fees.
These are fixed examples. Enter your own salary, allowances, family and area to see what you would keep each month.
Where 12,000 AED a month goes
Mid-range setup
| AED a month | Single person 1-bed flat in JLT | Couple on one salary 1-bed flat in JLT | Family of four 2-bed flat in JLT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | 7,500 | 7,500 | 9,500 |
| Food and groceries | 1,650 | 2,650 | 4,400 |
| Transport | 320 | 320 | 320 |
| School fees | 0 | 0 | 10,000 |
| Utilities | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Phone and internet | 400 | 400 | 400 |
| Entertainment | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Emergency buffer | 400 | 400 | 400 |
| Total costs | 11,870 | 12,870 | 26,620 |
| Left from 12,000 | 130 | Short by 870 | Short by 14,620 |
| Share of salary left | 1% | None | None |
| Verdict | Tight | Short | Short |
Budget setup
| AED a month | Single person studio in Deira | Couple on one salary 1-bed flat in Deira | Family of four 2-bed flat in Deira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | 2,200 | 4,200 | 7,000 |
| Food and groceries | 850 | 1,530 | 2,720 |
| Transport | 320 | 320 | 320 |
| School fees | 0 | 0 | 10,000 |
| Utilities | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Phone and internet | 400 | 400 | 400 |
| Entertainment | 480 | 480 | 480 |
| Emergency buffer | 400 | 400 | 400 |
| Total costs | 5,450 | 8,130 | 22,120 |
| Left from 12,000 | 6,550 | 3,870 | Short by 10,120 |
| Share of salary left | 55% | 32% | None |
| Verdict | Comfortable | Comfortable | Short |
How these figures are worked out
Every number on this page comes from the cost model behind our Dubai salary calculator, run with fixed inputs for three households in two setups.
- The salary is the only household income: no partner income, no housing or transport allowance, and no employer-paid housing, school fees or utilities.
- Mid-range setup, the calculator defaults for lifestyle and area: rent at the middle of the JLT range, balanced lifestyle, half home cooking, eating out once or twice a week, metro.
- Budget setup: rent at the bottom of the Deira range, saving mode lifestyle, mostly home cooking, rarely eating out, metro.
- The family has two children at school, at the mid-tier fee the calculator uses: 5,000 AED a month per child.
- Transport is one metro budget per household. No maid or nanny.
- Costs include a 400 AED monthly emergency buffer. They leave out health insurance, flights home and one-off moving costs such as deposits and furniture.
- Verdicts: Short means costs are higher than the salary. Tight means under 10% of the salary is left. OK means 10 to 24%. Comfortable means 25% or more.
Other salaries
Lower: 10,000 AED a month · Higher: 15,000 AED a month · All salary guides
5,000 AED7,000 AED8,000 AED10,000 AED12,000 AED15,000 AED18,000 AED20,000 AED25,000 AED30,000 AED40,000 AED50,000 AED
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