Digital Nomad Guide: Dubai
Remote work visa, coworking, costs & the expat lifestyle
⚡ Quick Answer
Dubai has the famous 1-year Virtual Working Program (remote work visa) requiring $5,000/month income. No income tax! Expect AED 8,000-15,000/month ($2,200-4,100) for comfortable living. Excellent infrastructure, safe, but summer heat is brutal.
💰 Monthly Cost Breakdown
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | AED 3,500-5,000 | AED 6,000-10,000 |
| Food | AED 1,500-2,500 | AED 3,000-5,000 |
| Transport | AED 500-1,000 | AED 1,500-3,000 |
| Coworking | AED 1,000-2,000 | AED 2,500-4,000 |
| SIM/Internet | AED 200-400 | AED 400-600 |
| TOTAL | AED 7,000-11,000 | AED 13,000-22,000 |
Roughly $1,900-3,000 (budget) to $3,500-6,000 (comfortable) per month. No income tax!
🛂 Virtual Working Program (Remote Work Visa)
Dubai's famous digital nomad visa:
- • Duration: 1 year (renewable)
- • Income requirement: $5,000/month (or $60,000/year) proven
- • Cost: ~AED 1,100 ($300) application fee
- • Health insurance: Required
- • Benefits: Emirates ID, bank account, legal residence
- • Tax: No income tax on foreign-sourced income!
🏢 Coworking Spaces
WeWork Dubai
Multiple locations (DIFC, Downtown, JLT)
Price: AED 2,500-4,000/mo | Day passes available
Nasab (DIFC)
Premium coworking in Dubai's financial center
Price: AED 2,000-3,500/mo
Letswork (various)
App-based access to hotel meeting rooms and lounges
Price: AED 50-150/day | Flexible options
☕ Laptop-Friendly Cafes
- • Starbucks Reserve — Premium locations, good WiFi
- • Tom & Serg (Al Quoz) — Industrial vibe, popular with creatives
- • Nightjar Coffee — Specialty coffee, work-friendly
- • Costa Coffee — Reliable, many locations
- • Hotel lobbies — Often welcome laptop workers (buy a coffee)
✅ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- • No income tax
- • Legal remote work visa
- • World-class infrastructure
- • Very safe
- • Great timezone for EU/Asia
- • English widely spoken
❌ Cons
- • Expensive (rent, dining out)
- • Brutal summer heat
- • Car-dependent (outside central areas)
- • Strict alcohol/social laws
- • VoIP calls blocked (WhatsApp calls, etc.)
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Last updated: December 2024.