Relocating to Dubai · Field Notes
Relocating to Dubai
The practical owner's guide to moving to Dubai - what to negotiate in your job offer, the real cost of living, where to live, Dubai school fees, visas and setting up a business. Written from eighteen years on the ground in the UAE, not eighteen months.
Get the full 25-page guide - email us for a copy →
or write to hello@fraserpractice.com
There are thousands of "Moving to Dubai" articles - written by people who arrived last year, or by relocation agencies paid the day you sign. This is neither. It is 25 pages of what actually matters when relocating to Dubai: reading a job offer, the real cost of living, choosing where to live, Dubai school fees and KHDA ratings, visas, and setting up a business. Below is what is inside - if any one line is a question you are carrying, the full guide answers it.
What is inside the guide
Before You Say Yes
A tax-free Dubai salary means very little if the offer was not built for the UAE - housing, schooling and a car can swallow the entire tax saving before you land. The full Dubai job-offer checklist, and the 70/20/10 salary split that protects your end-of-service gratuity, is in the guide.
The Four Ways People Arrive
A new employer, an internal transfer, or your own business - and whether you move to Dubai solo first or bring the whole family at once. The right relocation advice depends entirely on which you are. All four routes, and the mistake that sinks families, are in the guide.
Choosing Where to Live in Dubai
Lived, not googled - which Dubai communities actually fit a family on a given budget, where people overpay for a postcode, and the hidden rental costs the rent line hides (plan 12-15% on top in year one). Community by community, in the guide.
Beyond Dubai - RAK and the Other Emirates
Ras Al Khaimah is no longer just for remote workers - Wynn Al Marjan Island is changing the maths. Who each emirate actually suits, and the honest commute reality, are covered in the guide.
Dubai School Fees - The Biggest Hidden Cost
For families relocating to Dubai, school fees are the single largest variable cost - and fee does not equal quality. How to read a KHDA rating against the fee, instead of buying on reputation, is in the guide.
The Real Cost of Living in Dubai
It is not what you earn, it is what the money buys. The same weekly shop can vary by more than 75% for an identical basket. Where your money quietly leaks - and how to stop it - is in the guide.
Setting Up a Business in Dubai
Most people need far less than they think to begin - a trade licence, a bank account and a credible presence. Mainland versus free zone, the real tax picture, and the signature that can cost you your liberty are all in the guide.
Who Probably Shouldn't Move to Dubai
The section no other relocation guide writes, because everyone else is selling the move. Sometimes the most valuable thing an independent voice can do is say: don't. The honest list is in the guide.
Your First 90 Days in Dubai
The relocation admin, in the exact order that saves you weeks - visa, Emirates ID, bank account, driving licence, schooling. Your Emirates ID gates almost everything, so it goes first. The full sequenced checklist is in the guide.
Get the full 25-page Relocating to Dubai guide - email us for a copy →
Moving to Dubai - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Dubai?
It depends less on the headline salary and more on how the package is structured - housing, schooling and transport can consume a tax-free salary fast. The guide's offer checklist and cost-of-living breakdown show what a given income actually supports.
What are the best areas to live in Dubai?
There is no single answer - it depends on your budget, commute and schools. The guide walks through the main Dubai communities honestly, including where people overpay for a postcode.
How much are school fees in Dubai?
They range enormously by curriculum, and fee does not equal quality. The guide shows the fee ranges and how to read a KHDA rating against the price before you commit a term.
Is it hard to set up a business in Dubai?
Less than most people think to begin - a licence, a bank account and a credible presence. The guide covers mainland versus free zone, the tax picture, and what to check before you sign.
Do I need a visa to move to Dubai?
Your residency is usually tied to your employer unless you hold a Golden Visa. The guide covers visas, grace periods, and what happens to you and your family if the job ends.
Dubai can be the best decision you make - or an expensive mistake dressed up as a pay rise. The difference is understanding the deal before you sign. Download the full guide, or book an independent second opinion before you commit your family.
The full field note
Want the whole 25-page guide?
No forms. Simply email us and we'll send the full Relocating to Dubai guide straight over - all 25 pages: the job-offer checklist, the real cost of living, where to live, Dubai school fees, visas and business setup, in one document.
Email us for the guide
or write to hello@fraserpractice.com