Moving to Dubai (UAE) [2026]: Visa Options, Rent, Cost of Living, Schools and Health Insurance

October 20, 2026

Taiga Sato

To live in Dubai (UAE), you need one of the residence visas: an employment visa, the Golden Visa, the Green Visa, the remote work visa or the retirement visa. Japanese passport holders receive a free 30-day visa on arrival, but that visa does not allow you to work or to live in the country. On the cost side, rent is by far the largest item: in the first half of 2026, a one-bedroom apartment in Dubai Marina averaged about AED 102,000 a year, and one in the more affordable JVC area about AED 77,000 a year. Rent is normally paid annually or quarterly with post-dated cheques, and on top of it come a 5% security deposit, a 5% agency fee and a housing fee equal to 5% of the rent. Health insurance is mandatory by law, and international school fees range from AED 30,000 to AED 110,000 a year. Based on information published by the UAE government, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA), Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others, this article explains the visa requirements for moving to Dubai, rent and living costs, the rules of daily life, and the problems people commonly run into after the move.

*Amounts and rules are as of October 11, 2026. This article is an English version of our Japanese guide, adapted for foreign residents of Japan and international investors. Our office does not provide application support for UAE residence visas.

Our articles on moving to Dubai (UAE)

Is there permanent residency in Dubai? Golden Visa requirements and costs: the 10-year visa for AED 2 million in property
Is Dubai (UAE) tax-free?: income tax, corporate tax, VAT, and the Japanese taxes that remain
Why people regret moving to Dubai: the downsides: rent, heat, visas and the law

Contents

Conclusion: overview of visas and costs for living in Dubai
Entry for Japanese passport holders, and the steps needed to live there
Employment visas and bringing your family
Self-sponsored visas: Golden, Green, remote work and freelance
Retirement visa (age 55+, 5 years)
Rent and move-in costs: annual cheques and the 5% housing fee
Living costs: utilities, food, cars, health insurance and school fees
Rules of daily life: heat, Ramadan, alcohol and cohabitation
The Japanese community and travel to and from Japan
Common problems after moving
Frequently asked questions
Summary

Conclusion: overview of visas and costs for living in Dubai

Visa	Main requirements	Validity	Suited to
Employment visa	A UAE employer acts as sponsor	2 years (renewable)	People hired locally or posted to the UAE
Golden Visa	Property worth AED 2 million or more, among other routes	10 years	Property investors and specialist professionals
Green Visa	Freelancers with annual income of AED 360,000 or more over the past 2 years, or skilled employees earning AED 15,000 or more a month, among others	5 years	People who want to sponsor themselves
Remote work visa	Continue working for an employer outside the UAE, with monthly income of US$3,500 or more	1 year (reapply)	People who keep their job with an overseas company
Retirement visa	Age 55+, at least 15 years of work history, and property or savings of AED 1 million or more, or annual income of AED 240,000 or more	5 years (renewable)	People living on assets or pensions

Cost item	Amount (guide)
Rent (annual)	One-bedroom: JVC AED 77,000, Dubai Marina AED 102,000, Downtown AED 133,000
Move-in costs	Security deposit (5% of rent), agency fee (5% of rent + VAT), Ejari registration about AED 220, DEWA (electricity and water) deposit AED 2,000
Housing fee	5% of annual rent, split into 12 and added to the monthly electricity and water bill
Health insurance	Basic plans AED 525–750 a year; standard individual plans AED 1,500–7,000 a year
School fees	International schools AED 29,000–112,000 a year. The Japanese School in Dubai about AED 32,000–38,000 a year (check with the school)
Living costs (excluding rent)	Around AED 5,000–8,000 a month for a single person

Dubai is attractive from a tax perspective, but once you add rent, school fees, health insurance and car costs, overall living costs are about the same as Tokyo or higher. "No personal income tax" and "cheap to live" are two different things.

Entry for Japanese passport holders, and the steps needed to live there

Holders of a Japanese passport receive a free 30-day visa on arrival in the UAE. The passport must be valid for at least 6 more months, and the permitted purposes are tourism, unpaid business and visiting relatives. With this visa on arrival you can neither work nor rent a home and continue living there. The length of the visa on arrival and the rules on extensions can change, so before travelling check the guidance of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Consulate-General of Japan in Dubai (if you hold another passport, check the rules for your nationality and your own government's travel advice).

To live in Dubai, you obtain one of the residence visas and complete the following steps.

Obtain an entry permit
Medical examination (HIV blood test and chest X-ray at a centre designated by the Dubai Health Authority; some occupations also require tests such as hepatitis B)
Register for an Emirates ID (identity card). The basic fee is AED 100 per year of validity
Issuance of the residence permit
Enrol in health insurance (mandatory under Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013; employers pay for their employees' insurance)

Only once you hold a residence permit can you open a current account with a chequebook, rent a home and enrol your children in school. The order is: visa → Emirates ID → bank account → housing → school.

Employment visas and bringing your family

The most common route is an employment visa obtained by being hired by a UAE company. The employer applies as sponsor, and the visa is valid for 2 years. The application costs are normally borne by the employer.

To bring your family, you must earn a monthly salary of AED 4,000 or more, or AED 3,000 or more with accommodation provided. You can sponsor your spouse and children, and your parents if certain conditions are met. Family members apply for a residence visa within 60 days of entry, and those aged 18 or over undergo a medical examination.

The key caution with an employment visa is your dependence on the employer. The visa is cancelled when you resign or are dismissed, and the grace period for ordinary employees is 60 days (under the October 2022 reform; 90 days for skill level 3 employees and property owners, and 180 days for skill levels 1 and 2 and for Golden and Green Visa holders). If you cannot obtain your next visa within this period, you must leave the country.

Golden Visa (10 years)

According to the UAE government, the Golden Visa is open to investors with capital of AED 2 million or more, entrepreneurs with innovative businesses, specialist professionals such as doctors, scientists and artists, outstanding students, and others. The route most relevant to our readers is property investment: a person who owns property worth AED 2 million or more, through the Dubai Land Department, can apply for the 10-year visa (mortgaged and off-plan properties are also accepted). We explain the requirements and costs in detail in Is there permanent residency in Dubai? Golden Visa requirements and costs. Note that claims of a "lifetime Golden Visa for AED 100,000" were denied by the UAE authorities (the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) in July 2025.

Green Visa (5 years)

A 5-year visa available without employer sponsorship. It covers freelancers and the self-employed (holding a freelance permit from the Ministry of Human Resources, with a bachelor's degree or specialised diploma, and annual income of AED 360,000 or more over the past 2 years), skilled employees (monthly salary of AED 15,000 or more and occupational level 1 to 3), and investors in or partners of UAE businesses. You can bring your spouse and children, and the grace period after expiry is 180 days.

Remote work visa (1 year)

A visa for people who work remotely for an employer outside the UAE, with a monthly income requirement of US$3,500 or more. It is valid for 1 year and must be reapplied for rather than extended. The fee for Dubai's Virtual Working Programme is US$287 per person, plus health insurance and processing costs (UAE government portal; the programme's own page still shows the older threshold of US$5,000 a month). You cannot work for a UAE company on this visa.

Freelance permits

The Dubai Development Authority (DDA)'s GoFreelance (media, education, technology and design) charges AED 7,500 for the freelance permit (as of 2022), with the visa separate. Many free zones offer packages combining the licence and the visa, with a first-year total of roughly AED 6,000–8,500 at cheaper free zones and AED 14,000–20,000 at Dubai's main free zones (amounts change from year to year).

Retirement visa (age 55+, 5 years)

According to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA), the requirements for the retirement visa are being aged 55 or over, having worked for at least 15 years before retiring, and meeting one of the following.

Owning UAE property worth AED 1 million or more
Having savings of AED 1 million or more (to be transferred to a UAE financial institution within 60 days of the residence permit being issued)
Having annual income of AED 240,000 or more (AED 20,000 a month), shown by bank statements for the most recent 6 months

The visa is valid for 5 years and renewable, and the grace period after expiry is 60 days. The federal government portal states the income requirement as "AED 20,000 a month (AED 15,000 in Dubai)", which does not match the GDRFA's AED 240,000 a year; the figures differ depending on the authority and timing. Check the latest requirements with the GDRFA before applying. Few people meet this income requirement with a Japanese pension alone, so in practice the property or savings routes are the main options.

Rent and move-in costs: annual cheques and the 5% housing fee

The average advertised annual rents for the first half of 2026 published by the Dubai property portal dubizzle are as follows.

Area	Studio	1 bedroom	2 bedrooms
Deira (old town)	AED 37,000	AED 65,000	AED 106,000
JVC (Jumeirah Village Circle)	AED 54,000	AED 77,000	AED 113,000
Business Bay	AED 72,000	AED 104,000	AED 148,000
Dubai Marina	—	AED 102,000	AED 156,000
Downtown	—	AED 133,000	AED 223,000
Palm Jumeirah	—	AED 169,000	AED 249,000

Rents in Dubai are quoted annually, and the standard method of payment is to hand over 1 to 4 post-dated cheques (4 cheques, i.e. quarterly payment, is most common). Paying with a single cheque (the full year upfront) can lower the rent by a few percent, while monthly payment is at the landlord's discretion and costs more. Writing cheques requires a current account, which in turn requires a residence visa, so in practice it is hard to rent a home before your visa is issued.

The following costs arise when you move in.

Item	Amount
Security deposit	5% of annual rent (10% if furnished)
Agency fee	5% of annual rent + 5% VAT
Ejari (tenancy contract registration)	About AED 220
DEWA (electricity and water) deposit	AED 2,000 for an apartment, AED 4,000 for a villa, plus connection fees
Housing fee	5% of annual rent, split into 12 and added to the monthly DEWA bill

For a unit rented at AED 100,000 a year, this works out to about AED 12,500 at move-in (deposit AED 5,000, agency fee AED 5,250, DEWA deposit AED 2,000, etc.) plus a housing fee of AED 5,000 a year. Market rents can be checked in the Dubai Land Department's rental index (RERA Rental Index).

Living costs: utilities, food, cars, health insurance and school fees

Item	Monthly guide
Electricity and water (DEWA)	AED 500–800 for a one-bedroom; 40–60% higher from June to September due to air conditioning
Groceries	AED 1,200–2,000 for a single person, AED 2,000–3,500 for a couple
Mobile phone and home internet	Mobile AED 100–200, internet AED 300–400
Public transport (Nol card)	AED 300–400
Car	Petrol was AED 4.28 per litre in October 2026 (Special 95). Road tolls (Salik) are AED 4–6 per crossing (plus 5% VAT from June 2026). Car loan and insurance AED 2,000–4,000 a month

Health insurance

In Dubai, health insurance has been mandatory since the 2013 emirate law, and employers pay their employees' premiums (deducting them from salary is not allowed). Insurance for dependants is arranged by the sponsor. The Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) costs AED 525–750 a year and is designed for people earning AED 4,000 a month or less. As a guide, standard individual plans cost AED 1,500–7,000 a year, comprehensive plans AED 8,000–20,000 or more, and international plans for a family of four AED 18,000 or more. Without insurance, your residence permit cannot be renewed, and fines apply.

School fees

Private schools in Dubai are supervised by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), and tuition fees for the 2026–27 academic year were frozen on the directive of Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan. Annual fees at the 23 schools with KHDA's top "Outstanding" rating range from AED 29,488 to AED 111,799: AED 43,084–111,799 for British-curriculum schools, AED 44,616–89,889 for IB and AED 66,185–93,300 for American-curriculum schools. About 170 pupils attend the Japanese School in Dubai (Al Wasl area; kindergarten, elementary and junior high school) (2026). Its tuition is reported to be about AED 32,000–38,000 a year depending on the grade, but the school's official website does not list current fees, so check with the school before enrolling.

Rules of daily life: heat, Ramadan, alcohol and cohabitation

Heat: From June to September, average daily highs are 39–41°C, and days above 45°C are not unusual. Nights stay around 30°C, with humidity around 50%. Since you cannot spend time outdoors in summer, life takes place in air-conditioned homes, cars, malls and offices. This is why electricity bills rise in summer
Ramadan: In 2027 it starts around February 8 and lasts about a month, and working hours are shortened by 2 hours a day. Rules on non-Muslims eating and drinking during the day have been relaxed in recent years and restaurants stay open, but discretion is expected in public
Alcohol: Under the November 2020 amendment of federal law, drinking by people aged 21 and over is no longer a crime. In Dubai a licence is still required to buy alcohol from shops, but it is free and can be applied for through an app, and none is needed in bars and restaurants. Dubai's 30% municipal tax on alcohol was reinstated in January 2025
Cohabitation: Under the 2021 Penal Code reform, consensual cohabitation by unmarried adults is no longer automatically punishable. However, some provisions remain, such as on children born outside marriage, so it is safer not to assume the same norms as in Japan
Dress: In malls and government offices it is best to cover shoulders and knees, and swimwear is for beaches and pools only

The Japanese community and travel to and from Japan

There are 5,300 Japanese nationals living in the UAE (as of October 1, 2025, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan), up 11% from the previous year, of whom 3,433 live in Dubai (up 13.2%). There is a Consulate-General of Japan in Dubai, a Japanese school, and Japanese supermarkets and restaurants. Japanese companies have 343 bases in the UAE (October 2024, JETRO).

Emirates operates daily direct flights to Narita, Haneda and Kansai, and the Narita route will increase to two flights a day from October 26, 2026. Narita to Dubai takes about 11 hours 20 minutes, and Dubai to Narita about 10 hours. No Japanese airline flies the route directly. In March 2026, evacuation charter flights for Japanese nationals were operated because of the situation in the Middle East, so you should be prepared for flight operations to change depending on the regional situation.

Common problems after moving

Rent cheques: Because you hand over annual or quarterly post-dated cheques at the start, you need a substantial sum when you move in. Since 2022, bouncing a cheque for insufficient funds is in principle no longer a criminal offence (except in cases of bad faith), but a cheque is an enforceable instrument, so the landlord can seek attachment of assets through the courts, and your credit with banks is affected
Dependence on the employer: An employment visa is cancelled when you leave your job, and the grace period is in principle 60 days. If you resign before securing your next job, you and your family's visas will be up against an exit deadline
Bank accounts: A current account with a chequebook requires a residence visa and an Emirates ID. Non-residents can only open savings accounts and cannot write rent cheques
Health insurance: Without it, you cannot renew your residence permit, and fines apply
Retirement visa requirements: The income requirement differs between authorities, and a Japanese pension alone often falls short
Japanese taxes: Even if you live in Dubai, Japan's tax residency test, exit tax and the 10-year rule for inheritance and gift tax remain relevant. We explain this in Is Dubai (UAE) tax-free?

Frequently asked questions

Is it difficult to move to Dubai?

Not if you meet the visa requirements. Employers handle the paperwork for employment visas; property investors have the Golden Visa, the self-employed have the Green Visa, and people who keep their job with an overseas company have the remote work visa. The hard part is whether you can keep paying living costs, including rent and school fees, over the long term.

How much money do I need to move to Dubai?

As a guide, a single person renting a one-bedroom needs AED 10,000–20,000 a month including rent, and a family with two children AED 25,000–50,000 a month including school fees. At move-in, you need cheques covering several months to a full year of rent.

How much can I earn working in Dubai?

It varies widely by occupation and company, and there is no single figure. For reference, the Green Visa threshold for skilled employees is a monthly salary of AED 15,000, and the threshold for bringing family is AED 4,000 a month. Since there is no income tax, your gross salary is your take-home pay.

Can I get a retirement visa with a Japanese pension?

The income requirement for the retirement visa is AED 240,000 a year or more (AED 15,000 a month at some authorities), and few people meet it with Japanese public pensions alone. The savings or property route of AED 1 million or more is the realistic option.

Are there no taxes in Dubai?

There is no personal income tax. However, there is 9% corporate tax, 5% VAT, a housing fee of 5% of rent, a 4% property registration fee and more, and Japanese taxes do not automatically disappear either.

Summary

The main visas for living in Dubai are the employment, Golden, Green, remote work and retirement visas. You cannot work or live there on a visa on arrival
The steps proceed in this order: residence visa → Emirates ID → bank account → housing → school
A one-bedroom costs AED 77,000–133,000 a year. Annual or quarterly cheques are standard, and the deposit, agency fee and housing fee are 5% each
Health insurance is mandatory. International school fees are AED 29,000–112,000 a year
Summer temperatures exceed 40°C, and there are rules on alcohol, cohabitation and dress that differ from Japan
An employment visa depends on your employer, and the grace period after leaving a job is in principle 60 days
Even if you live in Dubai, Japan's tax residency test, exit tax and the 10-year rule for inheritance tax remain relevant

Our office does not provide application support for UAE residence visas. We do, however, offer consultations for people considering moving abroad that compare visas, permanent residency and tax systems across countries including the UAE, and we handle the translation and apostille of Japanese documents needed for permanent residency or citizenship applications in your destination country. If you would like to compare the UAE with countries where our office can support applications, such as Malta, Panama and Vanuatu, please use our free consultation. We never use pushy sales tactics. We can assist in English and Japanese.