A recent post on Reddit has reignited the debate over whether working in Dubai truly offers better financial outcomes compared to staying in India. The user, who crunched numbers based on a realistic lifestyle, questioned the common narrative that Dubai’s tax-free income automatically translates to higher savings.
The scenario compared the monthly finances of a 25-year-old software engineer with 2-3 years of experience, living alone and maintaining a modest lifestyle in both countries.
In India, with a ₹60,000 in-hand monthly salary, total expenses were pegged at ₹40,700, leaving net monthly savings of ₹19,300 — or around ₹2.32 lakh annually.
In Dubai, with a salary of AED 10,000 (equivalent to ₹2.25 lakh), expenses summed up to AED 9,150 (₹2,05,875), resulting in slightly lower monthly savings of ₹19,125 — or ₹2.29 lakh per year.
The key differentiator? Rent. In India, rent was assumed to be ₹20,000, while in Dubai, it skyrocketed to AED 4,000 (₹90,000). Other essentials like groceries, transport, and utilities also came in significantly higher in Dubai.
“Unless your employer covers your housing or you live extremely lean, Dubai isn’t the financial win many believe it is,” the Redditor noted. They also acknowledged that Dubai offers a better quality of life with superior infrastructure, safety, and cleanliness.
The post attracted a lot of attention from netizens, who shared their thoughts on the issue.
“Dubai is good if you are getting considerable return on your investments/savings. For example, if you’re invested in the Nasdaq, your capital appreciation is not taxed in Dubai. If you’re an Indian resident, all global income is taxed — even your FD interest,” wrote one user.
Another added, “Only if people in this country had some brains then we would have been a developed nation by now. People have lost their common sense and fall for this Dubai hype. No one understands the math behind cost of living — they think if you earn ₹3 lakh in Dubai, you save every penny. They forget housing and living costs there.”
