salary

Teaching English in Dubai Salary

TEFL teachers can earn an excellent living in the Middle East, and that’s especially true in world-famous Dubai.

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Dubai is an incredibly popular tourism and business hub, and its growth as an international destination has been considerable over recent decades. Home to a range of international businesses, iconic architecture, and top cultural and sporting events, the Emirate is an attractive prospect for TEFL teachers from across the globe.

The Middle East offers some of the best salaries in the world for English teachers. In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, wages for ESL teachers are usually high, with well-funded schools and intense demand for English lessons.

This article will help you explore earning opportunities in Dubai, with tips on how to find high-paying jobs, negotiate during your interview, and the factors that affect salaries overall.

Quick facts about Dubai

Official Language: Arabic
Population: 3.1m (World Population Review)
Currency: Dirham (AED)

Download our teaching English in Africa & the Middle East guide

The average salary of English teachers in Dubai

Here’s a breakdown of average salaries for English teachers in Dubai, along with the factors that affect them.

Country	Avg. monthly salary	Degree required	Start of term	Teaching experience	Housing & flights included	Suitable for non-native English speakers	Age restrictions
Teach in UAE	14,378 AED £3,025 GBP $3,914 USD		August				under 65

Salaries

If you meet the requirements of employers in Dubai, teaching English is a great way to make a living. English teacher salaries in Dubai range from AED 7,677 to about 19,191 (£1,600-£4,000/$2,040-$5,110) monthly.

Tip: Some of the best salaries in Dubai can be found in private international schools. These schools serve Dubai’s sizeable population of newcomers from the English-speaking world and have fantastic facilities. However, job openings are incredibly competitive!

Factors affecting salary

Although Dubai is known for its high salaries for English teachers, wages vary greatly. Here are the main factors likely to impact pay levels in Dubai.

Qualifications: You need at least a bachelor’s degree to teach English in the UAE, but a Master’s degree or specialised certifications command higher wages.
Experience: Teachers with more experience will typically earn a higher salary when they arrive in Dubai. Many job adverts ask for at least two years of experience teaching in classrooms.
Type of Institution: Wages for TEFL teachers can vary across institutions. Generally, private international schools offer more lucrative salaries and benefits than other institutions.
Contract Type: Full-time, part-time, and freelance positions offer different pay structures.

Salary by institution type in Dubai

ESL teachers in Dubai will earn different salaries depending on their teaching position and where they work. What are teaching salaries like in private language schools, international schools, and other institutions?

State schools
Private language schools
International schools
University and college instructors
Private tutoring and freelancing

State schools

State schools in Dubai typically pay English teachers around AED 12,000 - 22,000 (£2,526 - £4,632 / $3,270 - $5,990) monthly. Teaching jobs in the UAE's state school system are popular thanks to their high salaries, well-equipped schools, and other benefits.

English is taught from a very young age in Dubai's school system, meaning jobs are available from kindergarten through high school.

Private language schools

Private language schools often offer competitive salaries ranging from AED 8,000 - 15,000 monthly (£1,684 - £3,158 / $3,267 - $4,084). These schools usually cater to adult learners and corporate clients, two extremely eager groups of TEFL students. An advanced TEFL Business English certificate will help you earn a higher income.

International Schools

International schools offer an average monthly starting wage of AED 23,320 (£4,910 - $6,350). You’ll usually require at least a master’s degree, one or more forms of TEFL certification, and considerable teaching experience to earn a living at an international school in Dubai.

Considering Dubai's size, there are a huge number of international schools. Many of these schools teach in English, meaning there are ample opportunities to teach abroad in an international school in Dubai - if you have all the right qualifications.

University and college instructors

University instructors in Dubai can expect to receive a monthly salary from AED 15,000 to AED 25,000 (£3,088 - £5,147 / $4,084 - $6,806). To land a teaching job at a university or college in Dubai, TEFL-certified teachers will require at least a master’s degree (though PhDs are usually preferred).

Dubai has five public and nearly sixty private universities and further education campuses. Not all jobs will be the same, of course. Lecturers and professors earn the most lucrative salaries, but you can make an excellent living tutoring students on campus, providing translation services, or being a part of the English faculty.

Private tutoring and freelancing

Private tutoring and freelancing in Dubai offer flexible work and potentially high hourly rates, typically ranging from AED 150 to AED 300 per hour (£31 - £62 / $41 - $82). EFL-certified teachers will earn different hourly rates based on qualifications, experience and clients.

Teaching English through private tutoring is a popular way for ESL teachers in the Middle East to supplement their income while working abroad, as the demand for private ESL teaching is significant.

Additional benefits and perks

Alongside the ability to earn competitive salaries, English teachers working in Dubai can expect various benefits and perks. A primary benefit to taking your teaching career to Dubai is that there isn’t income tax in the UAE, meaning net pay and take-home pay are very similar.

Longer-tenured, experienced teachers usually receive more benefits and bonuses than newer teachers. Still, there is a fantastic range of added perks that English teachers in Dubai receive, including:

Flight reimbursement: New teachers moving abroad to take a job in Dubai will often have their airfare covered
Performance bonuses: Independent educational institutions are known to offer performance-based incentives where possible
Medical care: Schools, particularly international schools, offer medical packages as part of a contract
Annual bonuses: Every year, you’ll be eligible for a bonus.
Free enrolment for dependents: If you’re teaching and travelling with your family, some schools will offer free enrolment (independent schools only)
Accommodation: Schools often offer new teachers accommodation, either on-site (depending on the institution) or close to their workplace. Alternatively, schools can find discounted accommodation for new teachers, helping expedite the move.

Cost of living in Dubai

Teacher salaries in Dubai are excellent, and they’re a massive driver for teachers hoping to work abroad and save for the future. How does the cost of living come into play, though?

The cost of living in Dubai is relatively high, but the high salaries match this. Benefits, including health insurance and accommodation, can also make teaching English really pay for you in Dubai.

If you take a teaching job that doesn’t offer accommodation, it’ll cost around £1,793/$2,320 per month for a one-bedroom apartment in central Dubai. Look outside the centre, though, and you’ll see a sizeable drop in rental prices, to about £1,159/$1,500.

Monthly utilities, including air conditioning, cost about £164/$213 on average. If you plan to boost your tax-free income by teaching English online, Dubai has famously reliable internet, which costs £78 / $101 on average, depending on your provider.

For more information on the cost of living in Dubai, consult this table:

Restaurants	AED	USD	GBP
Inexpensive restaurant meal
Domestic beer (0.5 litre)
Regular cappuccino
Water (0.33 litre)
Markets	AED	USD	GBP
Regular milk (1 litre)
Loaf of white bread
Regular eggs (1 dozen)
Apples (1 kg)
Transportation	AED	USD	GBP
One-way ticket (local transport)
Monthly pass (regular price)
Taxi start (normal tariff)
Gasoline (1 litre)
Utilities	AED	USD	GBP
Electricity, heating, cooling, water, and garbage (for a regular apartment)
Regular prepaid monthly mobile tariff with 10GB+ data
Internet (60 Mbps, unlimited data, cable/ADSL)
Clothing and shoes	AED	USD	GBP
Pair of jeans (Levis 501 or something similar)
Summer dress in a chain store
Nike running shoes (mid-range)
Men's leather business shoes

How to negotiate a better salary in Dubai

Though salaries in Dubai are excellent for English teachers, you should be paid what you’re worth. How do you negotiate a better salary while you teach abroad in Dubai? Here are a few tips:

Research TEFL salaries in Dubai

Before negotiating, conduct thorough research on TEFL salaries in Dubai and the UAE. Resources like Glassdoor, Indeed and job search portals will indicate the typical salary for your job and institution. Reddit is also a good port of call for researching payment expectations.
Assess your qualifications, certifications and experience. If you’ve done advanced TEFL certificates, now is the time to bring your extra qualifications to light. What unique value and expertise do you bring?
You need to consider the cost of living. Does your existing wage cover rent, bills, and other day-to-day costs?

Understand employment norms and culture in Dubai

Be aware of cultural differences in discussions around money. In Dubai,there is no mandated minimum salary, and annual payment increases are common, so bear that in mind.
Know your rights as an employee in the UAE.
Be careful when setting up a meeting to discuss your salary, as there are norms to follow. Plan around prayer times and avoid midday. Lunchtime breaks are very important in the UAE.
Make sure you look the part and follow business customs. For example, don’t use your left hand for handshakes, and keep your feet planted on the floor throughout the discussion. In Emirati culture, crossing your legs is offensive.

Highlight prior experience

What have you achieved as a teacher since arriving in Dubai? Think of test scores and other metrics you can show to an employer.
In other teaching roles, have you made a measurable impact? Have you improved exam grades, for example, or have more students opted to take English?
This is where a TEFL portfolio is particularly helpful. Illustrate anything you’ve done to attract any outside attention, like student reviews, LinkedIn testimonials, or other positive feedback.

Conclusion

Teaching English in Dubai is an adventure. Not only does TEFL teaching in this part of the Middle East offer some of the highest ESL salaries on the planet, it also offers a unique and exciting lifestyle. With tax-free salaries, solid demand for English teachers and multiple types of institutions and teaching jobs, it’s no wonder that so many TEFL teachers are heading to the UAE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about teaching English in Dubai.

Q. Is it possible to save in Dubai as a teacher?

Yes! You can save money in Dubai while working as an English teacher. Teaching wages in Dubai are excellent and generally clear the cost of living. Highly qualified TEFL teachers looking to build savings while teaching should consider Dubai and the UAE as a whole.

Q. How to start teaching English in Dubai?

At the very least, you’ll need to complete a TEFL certification course with over 120 hours of study and a bachelor’s degree, preferably in education. Many schools require a Level 5 qualification or higher for English teaching positions. You’ll also require a teaching license from your country of origin.

Q. How much is the cost of living in Dubai?

According to Numbeo, a single person's monthly outgoings in Dubai, before rent, are around £857 / $1,110 (AED 4,075).

Q. Are English teachers in demand in Dubai?

There is an enormous demand for English teachers in Dubai, mainly due to the massive tourism industry and the international business conducted there