For UK IT professionals
Moving to Dubai from the UK (2026)
Short answer
London Dubai
about 7 hours · Dubai is 3–4 hours ahead
Your visa as a UK citizen
- 1
Visit visa-free
You can enter for 90 days without applying, to look around or interview.
- 2
Job offer and entry permit
Your employer applies for your work permit. You can switch status inside the country.
- 3
Residence visa and Emirates ID
After a medical test and fingerprints, you get a 2-year residence visa.
Your degree needs to be legalised for most work permits: an apostille from the FCDO, then the UAE embassy, then the UAE foreign ministry. How the employment visa works
Salary and tax: Dubai vs the UK
| Role | In the UK (after tax) | In Dubai (no income tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | £50,500 a year about £3,300 a month | AED 30,500 a month ≈ £6,250 |
| Data engineer | £50,500 a year about £3,300 a month | AED 29,500 a month ≈ £6,050 |
| Senior software engineer | £67,000 a year about £4,100 a month | AED 36,500 a month ≈ £7,500 |
Medians. UK figures for Manchester, after income tax and National Insurance for 2026/27 (England).
Cost of living: Dubai vs Manchester
One person, a month
| Expense | Manchester | Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (1-bed flat) | £1,003 | AED 5,150 (≈ £1,050) |
| Bills, council tax and mobile | £326 | AED 1,100 (≈ £230) |
| Groceries | £280 | AED 1,200 (≈ £250) |
| Transport | £80 | AED 550 (≈ £110) |
| Total | about £1,900 | AED 9,150 (≈ £1,900) |
Leaving the UK: tax, NI and pension
Your UK tax residence
The Statutory Residence Test decides whether you still pay UK tax. Full-time work abroad usually makes you non-resident.
Split-year treatment
The tax year you leave can be split, so UK tax on your overseas pay stops when you go.
National Insurance
Voluntary contributions can protect your State Pension while you live abroad.
Your pension
Leave it, keep paying in, or transfer it. Get regulated advice before any transfer.
- Check your residence status with the Statutory Residence Test for the tax year you leave and the next one.
- Tell HMRC you’re leaving: form P85, or the foreign pages of your Self Assessment return.
- Ask about split-year treatment, so UK tax on overseas pay stops from the day you leave.
- Check your National Insurance record and whether you can pay voluntary Class 2 or Class 3 contributions from abroad.
- Decide what to do with workplace pensions; don’t transfer abroad without regulated advice.
- Tell the Student Loans Company; you’ll make repayments directly from abroad.
- You can keep ISAs, but can’t pay into them while you’re non-resident.
Guidance, not tax advice. Check GOV.UK or a tax adviser.
British-curriculum schools
- Fees AED 6,314–116,964 a year (from ≈ £1,300)
- GCSEs and A levels, like at home
- Rated by the KHDA every year
- Horizons English SchoolOutstandingAED 30,780–43,108 ≈ £6,350–8,850 · Business Bay
- Victory Heights Primary SchoolOutstandingAED 39,216–53,476 ≈ £8,050–11,000 · Motor City
- Kings School DubaiOutstandingAED 46,096–70,152 ≈ £9,500–14,400 · Al Barsha
- GEMS Wellington International SchoolOutstandingAED 46,436–101,025 ≈ £9,550–20,800 · Al Barsha
- Jumeirah English Speaking SchoolOutstandingAED 48,330–100,578 ≈ £9,950–20,700 · Arabian Ranches
- Safa Community SchoolOutstandingAED 53,187–87,386 ≈ £10,900–18,000 · Motor City
- Repton SchoolOutstandingAED 55,865–100,394 ≈ £11,500–20,600 · International City
- Kings School Al BarshaOutstandingAED 56,667–112,446 ≈ £11,600–23,100 · Dubai Hills Estate
- Dubai British School Jumeirah ParkOutstandingAED 64,210–109,232 ≈ £13,200–22,500 · Discovery Gardens
- Nord Anglia International SchoolOutstandingAED 68,026–102,871 ≈ £14,000–21,100 · Motor City
- Dubai English Speaking CollegeOutstandingAED 81,082–87,147 ≈ £16,700–17,900 · Dubai Silicon Oasis
- Dubai CollegeOutstandingAED 93,220–105,555 ≈ £19,200–21,700 · Barsha Heights (Tecom)
- The Winchester SchoolVery goodAED 14,607–32,586 ≈ £3,000–6,700 · Discovery Gardens
- Raffles International School L.L.C (Umm Suqeim South Br)Very goodAED 33,273–85,861 ≈ £6,850–17,600 · Al Barsha
- Horizon International SchoolVery goodAED 37,940–71,445 ≈ £7,800–14,700 · Al Barsha
- GEMS Royal Dubai SchoolVery goodAED 39,328–75,000 ≈ £8,100–15,400 · Mirdif
- GEMS Wellington AcademyVery goodAED 39,414–89,001 ≈ £8,100–18,300 · Dubai Silicon Oasis
- Regent International Private SchoolVery goodAED 47,949–101,251 ≈ £9,850–20,800 · Barsha Heights (Tecom)
- Jebel Ali SchoolVery goodAED 48,496–99,337 ≈ £9,950–20,400 · Business Bay
- Ranches Primary SchoolVery goodAED 49,278–60,228 ≈ £10,100–12,400 · Arabian Ranches
- Kings School Nad Al ShebaVery goodAED 56,951–94,400 ≈ £11,700–19,400 · International City
- Kent CollegeVery goodAED 58,151–105,533 ≈ £12,000–21,700 · Jumeirah Village Circle
- Sunmarke SchoolVery goodAED 60,228–104,030 ≈ £12,400–21,400 · Jumeirah Village Circle
- GEMS Wellington Academy Al KhailVery goodAED 60,907–107,279 ≈ £12,500–22,100 · Dubai Hills Estate
- Arcadia British SchoolVery goodAED 66,133–94,000 ≈ £13,600–19,300 · Jumeirah Village Circle
- Royal Grammar School GuildfordVery goodAED 76,950–116,964 ≈ £15,800–24,000 · Motor City
- Apple International SchoolGoodAED 6,832–27,318 ≈ £1,400–5,600 · Al Nahda
- The Westminster SchoolGoodAED 8,899–17,302 ≈ £1,850–3,550 · Al Nahda
- Al Diyafah High SchoolGoodAED 9,288–20,005 ≈ £1,900–4,100 · Al Nahda
- M S B Private SchoolGoodAED 11,545–27,045 ≈ £2,350–5,550 · Al Nahda
- Pristine Private SchoolGoodAED 12,018–28,533 ≈ £2,450–5,850 · Al Nahda
- Al Salam Private SchoolGoodAED 13,948–27,881 ≈ £2,850–5,750 · Al Nahda
- Dubai Scholars Private SchoolGoodAED 15,469–31,820 ≈ £3,200–6,550 · Al Nahda
- The Sheffield Private SchoolGoodAED 23,088–43,540 ≈ £4,750–8,950 · Al Nahda
- Cambridge International SchoolGoodAED 23,249–35,931 ≈ £4,800–7,400 · Al Nahda
- Smart Vision SchoolGoodAED 32,518–76,020 ≈ £6,700–15,600 · Al Barsha
- Star International SchoolGoodAED 33,394–71,820 ≈ £6,850–14,800 · Mirdif
- The School of Research ScienceGoodAED 36,310–77,958 ≈ £7,450–16,000 · Mirdif
- GEMS Metropole SchoolGoodAED 37,511–50,015 ≈ £7,700–10,300 · Motor City
- Capital SchoolGoodAED 40,000–66,600 ≈ £8,200–13,700 · Al Nahda
- Citizens SchoolGoodAED 45,000–75,000 ≈ £9,250–15,400 · Business Bay
- The Arbor SchoolGoodAED 57,456–95,000 ≈ £11,800–19,500 · Discovery Gardens
- Arab Unity SchoolAcceptableAED 6,314–10,560 ≈ £1,300–2,150 · Mirdif
- Dubai Carmel SchoolAcceptableAED 8,912–15,124 ≈ £1,850–3,100 · Al Nahda
- Queen International SchoolAcceptableAED 15,197–28,500 ≈ £3,100–5,850 · Al Nahda
- Arcadia Global SchoolAED 40,000–61,000 ≈ £8,200–12,500 · Discovery Gardens
- GEMS Metropole School - Al WahaAED 40,000–50,000 ≈ £8,200–10,300 · Arabian Ranches
- Dubai British School JumeiraAED 51,477–69,872 ≈ £10,600–14,400 · Business Bay
Your CV for the Gulf
Dubai vs London
| Dubai | London | |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | 0% | 20–45% |
| 1-bed flat | AED 6,300 (≈ £1,300) | £1,760 |
| Sunny days a year | about 340 | about 150 |
| Flight home | 7 hours | – |
Questions
Do I pay UK tax if I move to Dubai?
Usually not on your Dubai salary, once you're non-resident under the Statutory Residence Test. If you work full-time abroad, spend fewer than 91 days in the UK in the tax year and work there on no more than 30 days, you're normally non-resident. UK income such as rent is still taxed in the UK.
Can I keep my UK pension?
Yes. Your workplace and personal pensions stay invested in the UK and you can usually keep paying into a personal pension for a while. Transferring a pension abroad can trigger tax charges, so get regulated advice first.
How much money do I need to move to Dubai from the UK?
For one person, plan for about AED 43,850 before your first salary: the first rent cheque, deposit, agency fee, set-up costs and your first month. Your employer usually pays your flight and visa.
Do I need to tell HMRC I'm leaving?
Yes. Tell HMRC when you leave (usually with form P85 if you won't file a Self Assessment return), and tell the Student Loans Company if you have a student loan: repayments continue from abroad.
This is guidance, not tax, pension or legal advice. Check GOV.UK and u.ae, or a regulated adviser, before you act.
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