Salary guide · AE
Software Engineer salary in Dubai: can you afford rent?
A Software Engineer in Dubai typically earns AED120,000–AED320,000/year, with a median around AED200,000/year. Median 1-bedroom rent is AED7,500/month.
Affordability verdict
At a typical Software Engineer salary of AED200,000/year, spending on median Dubai rent (AED7,500/mo) would take up 45% of gross income. That exceeds the 30% guideline significantly — housing would be a stretch burden.
Software Engineer salary range in Dubai
AED120,000
Entry level
lower quartile
AED200,000
Typical
median estimate
AED320,000
Experienced
upper quartile
Software engineers design, build, and maintain applications and systems software. Figures are gross annual salary estimates for Dubai.
How much rent can a Software Engineer afford?
Rent landscape in Dubai
AED4,000
Budget
cheapest 10%
AED7,500
Median
most common
AED15,000
Premium
top 10%
1-bedroom equivalent. RERA Dubai rental index + Property Finder market data (2023) · 2023
Other professions in Dubai
Software Engineer salary in other cities