Moving to Dubai from Germany: The Complete 2027 Guide

Moving to Dubai from Germany Step by Step: The Checklist

Use this table as your master checklist. The month-by-month timeline further down breaks each phase into smaller tasks.

Why Are So Many Germans Moving to Dubai?

The reasons are consistent across interviews, surveys, and our own client conversations.

• Zero personal income tax on salary, dividends, and capital gains for tax residents.
• Strong job market in finance, tech, real estate, logistics, healthcare, and hospitality.
• Quality of life: 350+ days of sunshine, low crime, modern healthcare, premium housing.
• Strategic location: 6 hours to Frankfurt, 3 hours to East Africa, 4 hours to India.
• Business-friendly: 100 % foreign ownership, fast company setup, English everywhere.

Add to that a stable currency (the AED is pegged to the USD at 3.6725) and a government openly courting skilled migrants through the Golden Visa program, and the appeal is easy to understand.

Can Germans Simply Move to Dubai? The Visa Pathways

You cannot just land and stay. Every long-term resident needs a valid residence visa. The good news: there are more pathways than ever.

Employment Visa (2 years)

The most common route. Your UAE employer sponsors you, handles the paperwork, and covers the cost. You receive an Emirates ID, a residence visa, and mandatory health insurance. Processing typically takes 2 to 4 weeks once you accept an offer.

Golden Visa (10 years)

The flagship long-term residency. You qualify if you:

• Own property worth at least AED 2 million (about €490,000)
• Earn at least AED 30,000 a month in a skilled role and hold a bachelor's degree
• Are a recognised specialist (doctor, scientist, top executive, artist, athlete)
• Are an entrepreneur with a project backed by an approved business incubator or authority

The Golden Visa lets you sponsor your family, stay outside the UAE for longer than the usual six months without losing residency, and run a business freely. See our dedicated Golden Visa Dubai guide for the full criteria.

Investor and Company Owner Visa (2 to 3 years)

Set up a Free Zone or Mainland company and issue yourself a residence visa. Costs depend on the free zone and the package. Budget for the licence plus a separate fee for each visa, and compare several offers before you sign.

Freelance Permit and Green Visa (5 years)

Designed for self-employed professionals in media, tech, education, and consulting. The Green Visa needs a freelance permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), a bachelor's degree or specialised diploma, and self-employment income of at least AED 360,000 a year over the last two years. Proof of financial solvency for your whole stay is the alternative to the income test.

Retirement Visa (5 years)

For applicants aged 55 or over who have worked for at least 15 years, inside or outside the UAE. You need a fixed income of at least AED 240,000 a year if you apply in Dubai (AED 20,000 a month), or property and savings worth at least AED 1 million each, according to the UAE government portal. Official pages word the asset test differently, so confirm it with GDRFA Dubai before you apply.

Money: Salaries, Cost of Living, and Taxes

A move to Dubai from Germany makes financial sense for most professionals, but you need to do the maths properly.

Typical Salaries (2026 Figures)

Because there is no income tax, your gross is essentially your net. Add typical benefits such as housing allowance, school fees for two children, annual flights home, and full health insurance, and the total package premium can be 40 to 70 % above a comparable German job. Our Gehalt Dubai breakdown lists 30+ roles with current ranges.

How Much Money Do You Need to Live in Dubai?

Dubai is not cheap. A realistic monthly budget for a couple living comfortably in Dubai Marina or JVC:

• Rent (1BR, decent area): AED 8,000 to 14,000
• Groceries: AED 2,500
• DEWA (utilities): AED 700
• Internet and mobile: AED 600
• Car (lease + petrol + Salik): AED 2,500
• Dining and entertainment: AED 3,000
• Health insurance top-up: AED 500
• Total: roughly AED 18,000 to 24,000 (€4,400 to €5,800)

A family of four with two kids in a British or German school easily spends AED 45,000 to 60,000 per month. Our Lebenshaltungskosten Dubai article keeps a monthly tracker by neighbourhood.

Do Germans Pay Tax in Dubai? The German Side You Cannot Ignore

The UAE does not tax your salary, but it charges 5% VAT on most purchases. Germany is where most expats get hurt. Three things to plan before you leave Germany:

1. Abmeldung: Officially deregister at your local registration office (Bürgeramt) within two weeks after you move out, as the Federal Registration Act requires. You can do it at most one week before. Deregistering alone does not end German tax residency: if you keep a home available in Germany, the Finanzamt can still treat you as resident. Our Abmeldung checklist walks you through it.
2. Wegzugsbesteuerung (exit tax): If you held 1% or more of a company at any point in the last five years, the Finanzamt taxes the unrealised gains as if you sold the shares when you leave (§ 6 AStG). It applies if you were taxable in Germany for at least seven of the last twelve years. Get a qualified tax advisor, and read our German exit tax guide.
3. Erweitert beschränkte Steuerpflicht (extended limited tax liability): Germany can keep taxing your German income for up to 10 years. This applies when you move to a low-tax country such as the UAE and also keep substantial economic interests in Germany.

Our taxes in Dubai guide for Germans covers the full checklist.

Housing: Where Germans Actually Live

Most DACH expats cluster in a handful of areas based on lifestyle and budget.

• Dubai Marina / JBR: Beach, walkability, nightlife. Best for young professionals.
• Downtown / Business Bay: Burj Khalifa views, premium feel, central. Best for executives.
• Jumeirah / Umm Suqeim: Villas, beach, family vibe. Popular with German families.
• Arabian Ranches / Damac Hills: Gated villa communities with international schools nearby.
• JVC / JVT: Best price per square metre, growing community, family friendly.

Rent is typically paid in 1 to 4 cheques per year. Most landlords prefer one or two cheques, which means you may need a personal loan or a relocation cash buffer of AED 50,000 to 100,000 in your first month. Add 5 % agency fee, 5 % security deposit, and AED 2,000 Ejari registration.

Healthcare in Dubai

Healthcare is private and excellent. Mandatory health insurance is required for every resident and is usually covered by employers. If you are self-sponsored, expect to pay AED 3,500 to 12,000 per year for solid coverage with global insurers like Allianz Care, Bupa, or Daman.

German-speaking doctors are available at the German Clinic, Mediclinic, and several boutique practices in Jumeirah. Mediclinic Parkview and King's College Hospital are popular hospitals among DACH families. Read our Krankenversicherung Dubai guide for plan comparisons.

Schools and Family Life

If you are moving with kids, plan early: top schools have waiting lists of 6 to 18 months. To compare curricula and fees across every school in the country before you pick a neighbourhood, the InternationalSchools.net UAE directory lists them in one place.

• German International School Dubai (DISD): Bilingual German curriculum, located in Al Barsha. Fees AED 45,000 to 80,000 per year.
• Swiss International Scientific School (SISD): IB curriculum, German bilingual stream available.
• GEMS, Repton, Dwight, Nord Anglia: British and American curricula, fees AED 60,000 to 130,000.

Family life in Dubai is exceptional. Safe streets, world-class playgrounds, weekend desert trips, and direct flights to Europe make it one of the easiest places in the world to raise children. Our guide to relocating to Dubai with children covers the family side in more detail. Also check what happens to your German Kindergeld after the move.

Practical Logistics: The Month-by-Month Timeline

Use this timeline as a working checklist.

4 to 6 Months Before

• Choose visa pathway and start application
• Book a scouting trip (5 to 7 days)
• Talk to a tax advisor about Wegzugsbesteuerung
• Get birth certificate, marriage certificate, and degrees legalised for the UAE (the UAE is not part of the Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not enough)

2 to 3 Months Before

• Sign job contract or company licence
• Apply for entry permit
• Cancel German rental contract (3 months notice in most cases)
• Get international shipping quotes (sea freight 4 to 6 weeks, air freight 5 to 10 days)

1 Month Before

• Book your Abmeldung appointment at the Bürgeramt (it is due within two weeks after you move out, and at most one week before)
• Cancel GEZ, gym, electricity, internet, insurance contracts
• Inform Finanzamt and request final tax statement
• Convert German driving licence: it can be exchanged for a UAE licence after arrival, see our Führerschein Dubai guide

Arrival Week

• Activate residence visa (medical fitness test plus Emirates ID biometrics)
• Open a Dubai bank account: ENBD, Mashreq NEO, Wio, or Liv work for most. Keep your German account too: see how to keep a German bank account while living abroad
• Register Ejari for your tenancy
• Apply for DEWA (utilities), Etisalat or du (internet)

First 90 Days

• Get UAE driving licence
• Register children at school
• Apply for Salik (toll) tag
• Set up local SIM and update European banks with new address

Pitfalls to Avoid

Even smart Germans make these mistakes:

• Ignoring the 183-day rule and accidentally remaining German tax resident
• Forgetting Wegzugsbesteuerung on a German GmbH stake
• Signing a 12-month flat rental before scouting neighbourhoods
• Not budgeting for school fee deposits (often AED 50,000+ per child)
• Underestimating summer electricity bills in a villa (can hit AED 3,000/month)
• Buying a car in cash when financing is cheap and protects liquidity

Conclusion: Is the Move Right for You?

A move to Dubai from Germany rewards those who plan properly and punishes those who improvise. If you have a clear visa pathway, a realistic budget, a solid tax exit plan, and an open mind for a new culture, Dubai will likely deliver one of the most rewarding chapters of your life. Start with a one-week scouting trip, talk to a German-speaking tax advisor, and use the resources linked throughout this guide. For the day-to-day reality, read our honest account of living in Dubai as a German. Your fresh start is closer than you think.