Reviewed by Stan, Head of Hiring Department, TLNT.aeMost anxiety about moving to Dubai is about money in the first weeks: the deposits, the cheques, the furniture, the moment before the first salary lands. The honest picture is simpler than the fear. The one-off costs are known in advance, several of them are paid by the employer, and the rest can be planned to the dirham before you say yes. This guide lists every landing cost of a single specialist who moves for a job (beauty master, nurse, assistant, sales), says who usually pays, gives a sample starter budget clearly marked as an orientation example and explains how much to have in savings as a runway. Figures are orientation ranges for autumn 2026; the way to check them yourself is in every section.
Talk to usBefore counting your own money, separate the costs that belong to the employer. In a normal Dubai job offer the employer sponsors the work visa and the steps around it; the right to work is free for the candidate. Ask for this in writing in the offer letter.
These are the costs that hit in the first month and never again. Orientation, autumn 2026, check current prices. Where a figure depends on your choice (furnished or not, room or studio) the range is wide on purpose.
| Line | What it is | Orientation, AED |
|---|---|---|
| Rent: first cheque | Rent in Dubai is paid for a year in advance by 1 to 4 cheques; the first cheque is due at signing | a quarter to a half of the annual rent; for a studio at 60,000 a year paid in 4 cheques that is 15,000 |
| Security deposit | Refundable deposit held by the landlord, returned after check-out if the home is in good condition | about 5% of annual rent unfurnished, about 10% furnished; 3,000 to 6,000 for the same studio |
| Agency fee | Paid to the real estate broker who found the home for you; not charged when you rent directly from a landlord or take over a listing without a broker | commonly about 5% of annual rent; 3,000 for the same studio |
| Ejari | Mandatory registration of the tenancy contract with the Dubai Land Department system; needed for DEWA, internet and many other services | a few hundred AED, check the current fee on the Ejari or Dubai REST app |
| DEWA deposit and connection | Refundable deposit for electricity and water plus a small connection fee | 2,000 for an apartment, 4,000 for a villa, refundable; connection fee on top |
| Furniture and household | Only for an unfurnished home; a bed, mattress, wardrobe, table, kitchen basics, bedding | 3,000 to 8,000 for a simple set, second-hand on Dubizzle or Facebook groups; 0 if furnished |
| SIM card and plan | Prepaid or postpaid plan from one of the two operators; you need a SIM for almost everything | 50 to 150 for the first month |
| Home internet | Installation and first month, or a mobile data plan instead if the home is temporary | 400 to 700 for installation plus the first month; often included in a room or furnished rental |
| Nol card | The card for metro, bus, tram and parking | a few dirhams for the card plus the credit you load |
| First groceries and household items | Stocking an empty kitchen and bathroom once | 800 to 1,500 |
| Document extras | Attestations, translations, passport photos, a cheque book if the bank charges for one | 200 to 1,000 depending on the role |
An orientation example, not a quote: a single specialist, a studio at 60,000 AED a year paid in 4 cheques, unfurnished, found through a broker. Orientation, autumn 2026, check current prices. Replace every line with your own numbers; the structure is what matters.
The second number to plan is the monthly run rate between arrival and the first full salary, which is often paid at the end of the first month and sometimes later for the first cycle. Orientation, autumn 2026, check current prices.
The runway is not a fixed number; it is a formula you fill in with your own choices. The rule is simple: one-off landing costs plus two to three months of living costs, so that a late first salary or an unexpected expense is an inconvenience and not a crisis.
Prices move, and your situation differs from any example. Check before you decide, not after you land; it takes an evening.
TLNT is a hiring consultancy. We help employers in Dubai find and assess candidates, including specialists who relocate; the employer makes the hiring decision, agrees the terms with you directly and sponsors the work visa for the person they hire. We do not give immigration advice and we never promise a job; what we do is let you know when an employer has a vacancy that matches your profile and tell you honestly what the offer includes.
For candidates: send your CV through our candidates page or build one in the free CV builder; we let you know when an employer has a matching vacancy. Candidates never pay us.
Our fee is fixed for each role and agreed before the search starts. A 10% prepayment of the fee starts the search, the rest is due once the person has started work. If it does not work out, we find a replacement free of charge; the period is set in the contract. Consulting and CRM projects are priced after a free review.
As an orientation for autumn 2026: roughly 20,000 AED if you start in a furnished room with monthly payment, and roughly 37,000 to 40,000 AED if you rent your own studio with yearly cheques, in both cases including two to three months of living costs as a runway. If the employer provides accommodation for the first weeks and pays the flight, a third of that may be enough. Check current prices and your own offer before you decide.
Yes, in a normal job offer the employer sponsors the work visa and residence permit, pays for the medical fitness test and the Emirates ID application that are part of the visa process and provides health insurance for the employee. Candidates do not pay for the right to work; ask for these points in writing in the offer letter and check the current employer obligations on MOHRE.
Our fee is fixed for each role and agreed before the search starts. A 10% prepayment of the fee starts the search, the rest is due once the person has started work. If it does not work out, we find a replacement free of charge; the period is set in the contract.
A free review in WhatsApp: we look at your numbers and tell you honestly what we would do.
Message on WhatsAppReviewed by Stan, Head of Hiring Department, TLNT.aeCite as: TLNT.ae, "What it costs to settle in Dubai: the first 3 months one-off costs, who pays what, a sample starter budget and the savings to bring", 2026, https://tlnt.ae/en/guides/cost-of-settling-in-dubai-first-3-months/. Prepared by TLNT.ae, a hiring consultancy working in the UAE since 2022.