Average salary in the UAE
The UAE's average gross salary is about AED 15,234 a month by the official Labour Force Survey frame, with a median of AED 8,926. Measured across the entire employed population of roughly 9.2 million, including the large low-wage migrant workforce, the median drops to about AED 3,662 a month.
The UAE income distribution in one table
These are modelled gross monthly salaries for the whole employed population, calibrated to the Labour Force Survey, Wage Protection System coverage and World Inequality Database estimates:
| Percentile | Gross monthly salary (monthly) | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | AED 1,415 | AED 16,980 |
| 25th percentile | AED 2,035 | AED 24,420 |
| Median (50th) | AED 3,662 | AED 43,944 |
| 75th percentile | AED 9,068 | AED 108,816 |
| 90th percentile — top 10% | AED 21,674 | AED 260,088 |
| 95th percentile — top 5% | AED 34,244 | AED 410,928 |
| 99th percentile — top 1% | AED 87,333 | AED 1,047,996 |
How the workforce splits
The UAE labour market is unusually segmented. Roughly 88% of residents are expatriates, and the workforce divides into distinct tiers that barely overlap:
| Segment | Workers | Typical monthly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Low-wage services | 3.3M | AED 2,800 |
| Skilled trades & clerical | 1.7M | AED 7,000 |
| Professionals | 1.7M | AED 18,000 |
| Construction labourers | 1.4M | AED 1,600 |
| Domestic workers | 0.75M | AED 2,000 |
| Senior executives | 0.30M | AED 55,000 |
About 60% of all UAE workers earn less than AED 5,000 a month. Around 1.3% earn AED 50,000 or more.
Minimum wage and pay growth
There is no general statutory minimum wage for expatriate workers in the UAE. A minimum of AED 6,000 a month for Emiratis in the private sector took effect in January 2026. Salary growth has cooled: Cooper Fitch recorded about 2.6% average increases in 2025 and forecasts roughly 1.6% for 2026, down from the mid-single digits of prior years.
Household income
Households pool multiple salaries. Across roughly 2.4 million regular UAE households averaging about 2.3 earners, the median household income is about AED 19,720 a month and the mean is AED 33,997. Emirati households average substantially more than expatriate households — the last published Dubai survey put the ratio near 2.6 to 1.
Check your own percentile on the interactive dashboard →Frequently asked questions
- What is the average monthly salary in the UAE?
- About AED 15,234 per month as a mean and AED 8,926 as a median for the official household-survey population. Across all 9.2 million employed people the median is closer to AED 3,662, because household surveys under-cover labour camps and collective housing.
- What percentage of UAE workers earn over AED 20,000?
- Roughly 11% of the total UAE workforce earns AED 20,000 a month or more. Among white-collar professionals the share is about half.
- Is there a minimum wage in the UAE?
- There is no general minimum wage for expatriate workers. Since January 2026 Emirati nationals in the private sector have a minimum of AED 6,000 a month. Ministry guidance from 2013 suggested indicative floors of AED 5,000 for skilled labour and AED 12,000 for graduates, but these are not broadly enforced.