Is a Dubai Salary Worth It?
Dubai is often cited as an expensive city — and it is, by developing-world standards. But compared to Western cities like London, New York or Sydney, Dubai is surprisingly affordable, especially when you factor in zero income tax.
For workers from the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Egypt and other countries in our audience, the Dubai salary advantage is significant. An AED 5,000/month salary in Dubai equates to purchasing power of roughly PHP 80,000-100,000 per month in Manila — 3-4x what most people earn there.
How This Calculator Works
We compare cities using a cost of living index where Dubai = 100. A city with index 50 is half the price of Dubai; a city with index 150 is 50% more expensive. The "equivalent salary" is what you'd need to earn in your home city to enjoy the same purchasing power as your Dubai salary.