UAE · Persian Gulf
Dubai: the sea all year round and life without income tax
- remote workers
- entrepreneurs
- families ready for the heat
Scale, service and a warm winter: how people live here and how much a flat in Dubai costs.
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January
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July
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Flight from Moscow
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Golden Visa
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Studio, guide price
What it is like to live here
Dubai is a city where everything works and everything is designed for the heat. In winter it is around 24 °C in the daytime, so a winter stay in Dubai is often the first acquaintance with the city. Summer is spent under air conditioning: in July and August it is over 40 °C in the daytime.
There is no personal income tax (u.ae), and entrepreneurs and remote workers come here. The price of comfort is the budget: rent, schools, healthcare. Property prices in the UAE and Dubai are in dirhams pegged to the dollar (UAE Central Bank), so the amount in your currency depends on the rate on the day of payment. On top comes a 4% DLD fee shared with the seller (DLD). More — moving to Dubai: life and costs.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No income tax
- A warm winter, around 24 °C in January
- A residence permit through a home, with conditions
- Direct flights from Moscow
Cons
- Over 40 °C in the daytime in summer
- Expensive rent, schools and healthcare
- Many new builds, easy to overpay
- Little "old town"
Residence permit through property
- AED 2 million a home for a long-term Golden Visa. Properties can be combined; mortgaged and off-plan homes qualify (GDRFA).
- AED 10,000 monthly income for an owner's residence permit. The home is completed and fully yours, there is no price threshold (GDRFA).
- 60 days an entry visa for the owner to arrange the residence permit on site (GDRFA).
Conditions as of October 2026, GDRFA decides. A lawyer checks them before a purchase.
Where to live in Dubai
Dubai Marina a flat in Dubai by the sea and life on the promenade
Palm Jumeirah water by the house, villas and apartments on the island
Business Bay for those who work in the centre, by the canal
JVC for families: a quiet residential quarter deeper in the city
Voice of a resident
In summer people walk in the evening, in winter in the daytime by the water. Around the city people go by car or metro, and on foot along the promenade and within the district.
An interview with a Dubai resident will come out in the series — watch the YouTube channel.
Dubai or Antalya?
| Dubai | Antalya | |
|---|---|---|
| January, daytime | 24 °C | 15 °C |
| July, daytime | 40.6 °C | 34.2 °C |
| Flight from Moscow | 6 h 25 min | from 4 h 45 min |
| Status through a home | Golden Visa from AED 2 million | residence permit from 200,000 USD |
The districts help decide "Dubai or Antalya?": Antalya has six.
Selection
A selection in Dubai for your request
Properties are selected by a trusted Life by Sea partner in Dubai; we stay in touch at every step.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy a flat with a mortgage and get a visa?
Yes: a mortgaged home from AED 2 million qualifies for a Golden Visa (GDRFA). A bank gives an expat up to 80% of the price of a first home under AED 5 million (UAE Central Bank).
Does an off-plan home qualify for a visa?
How much does it cost to live in Dubai?
There is no official summary. Count the rent and the 5% fee on it (u.ae), electricity and water, school, insurance. There is no tax on salary; VAT is 5%.
What property tax does an owner pay in the UAE when letting?
A person's income from letting their own home without a licence is not subject to corporate tax (FTA), and there is no income tax. The 5% fee on the rent is paid by the tenant.
Other seaside cities
Antalya
Turkey: six districts and a mild winter.
Budva
Montenegro: the euro, mountains and the Adriatic.
Limassol
Cyprus: the European Union and permanent residence through a new home.Current as of October 2026. Author: Life by Sea editorial team.