Dubai Living Essentials is an independent online publication for Europeans planning a move to Dubai. Its guides and practical resources are free to read and use.
What you can find here
Start with the first-month checklist, explore guides on housing, paperwork and everyday life, or use the free moving budget calculator and Excel worksheet to organise your own quotes.
Our method
Use the guides to identify questions, costs and documents to confirm. Where requirements can change, follow the links to the relevant official body and check what applies to your visa route, employer and household. An update date shows when content changed; it does not guarantee that every rule has been reverified.
The project does not claim first-hand testing of every service or an official relationship with UAE authorities. Planning tools use the figures you enter and do not determine eligibility for a visa, bank account or insurance policy.
How the publication is funded
We plan to support free access through clearly identified display advertising. Advertising is not yet active. Read the Advertising & Editorial Policy for the current position.
Browse the guides · Open the first-month checklist · Use the free budget calculator