What it really costs to move to Dubai from India
A realistic breakdown of one-time and monthly costs for your first few months in Dubai.
Most people underestimate the cash they need for the first two months. Here's a realistic picture.
One-time costs
- Flight: AED 600–1,200
- Visit visa: AED 300–600
- Airport taxi, SIM, photocopies: ~AED 200
- Degree attestation: ~AED 500
- Temporary stay while job hunting: AED 80–200/night
- Housing deposit: ~40% of one month's rent
Monthly costs
- Bed space from AED 725; a 1 BHK can run AED 4,500+
- Food: AED 400 (self-cook) to AED 1,000 (eating out)
- Transport: AED 230 (metro) and up
Add a 10% buffer for surprises. Try the budget calculator to get your own number.