In 2026, typical Dubai nanny pay is about AED 2,500–4,000/month live-in (with food and accommodation) and AED 3,500–5,500/month live-out, with part-time quotes often AED 35–55/hour. Families should also budget visa sponsorship, mandatory health insurance, 30 days’ leave and return flights — often adding AED 9,000–14,000+ a year on top of salary, for an illustrative all-in of roughly AED 45,000–65,000 at modest live-in levels.
As of: July 2026. Source: WeNanny market synthesis. Not a legal minimum wage.
Canonical salary bands
| Arrangement | Typical cash pay | What’s usually included | Source / as-of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live-in full-time | AED 2,500–4,000 / month | Room + meals common | WeNanny synthesis, Jul 2026 |
| Live-out full-time | AED 3,500–5,500 / month | Cash only; nanny covers housing | WeNanny synthesis, Jul 2026 |
| Live-out hourly | AED 35–55 / hour | Per hour worked | WeNanny synthesis, Jul 2026 |
Higher offers apply for newborn specialists, strong bilingual skills, special-needs experience or heavy household duties. Dubai and Abu Dhabi often sit at the upper end of UAE ranges.
Part-time note: In the UAE, casual or few-days-a-week domestic worker arrangements may be illegal unless done through a licensed channel. Confirm MOHRE rules before agreeing irregular schedules.
Costs beyond salary (the “hidden” layer)
The cash salary is only the starting line. Most sponsored placements also carry:
Mandatory / legal (indicative 2026 ranges — verify current fees)
| Item | Typical range | Cadence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa / sponsorship processing | AED 5,000–7,000 | Annual / cycle | Channel and nationality dependent |
| Health insurance | AED 1,200–2,500 | Annual | Effectively required for sponsored workers |
| Medical fitness tests | AED 500–800 | Onboarding | |
| Emirates ID | ~AED 370 | Onboarding | |
| Work permit elements | AED 2,000–3,000 | As applicable | Confirm current MOHRE schedule |
Sources: u.ae — Domestic workers, MOHRE (fee schedules change — always re-check).
Living & benefits
| Item | Typical impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Food (live-in) | AED 300–500 / month equivalent | Often provided in-kind |
| Utilities (live-in) | AED 200–400 / month impact | Shared household |
| Transport (live-out) | AED 300–600 / month | Allowance or overtime for late finishes |
| Annual leave (30 days) | 1 month salary equivalent | Paid leave is the norm under domestic-worker rules |
| Return ticket | AED 2,000–4,000 | Often every 1–2 years per contract |
| End-of-service gratuity | ~21 days’ wage / year (early years) | Confirm current Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 rules |
Live-in budget examples (illustrative)
| Setup | Monthly cash salary | Planning notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lean | AED 2,500–3,000 | Still add full visa + insurance |
| Mid | AED 3,000–4,000 | Most common experienced band |
| Specialist | AED 4,000+ | Newborn / SEN / multi-lingual |
Annual all-in sketch (mid live-in ~AED 3,000/mo): salary AED 36,000 + visa/insurance/tickets/gratuity accrual often pushes totals toward AED 45,000–65,000. Treat this as planning, not a quote.
Live-out budget notes
Live-out cash salaries are higher because housing is not included. Families still fund sponsorship if they are the visa sponsor, plus insurance and leave. Transport support and overtime for evenings are common extras.
Compare arrangements: Live-in vs live-out
What drives offers up or down
- Years of childcare experience and age-group specialism
- Languages (English + Arabic or other school languages)
- Driving licence and own transport
- Willingness to travel or work weekends
- Formal first-aid / ECE certificates — see training guide
Fair pay and retention
Competitive, transparent packages reduce turnover. Put salary, overtime rate, rest day and leave in the written contract. For rights context see nanny rights & labour laws and end-of-service.
Hiring next step
WeNanny is a professional directory: browse profiles free, message candidates and run your own interviews and reference checks — no agency placement fee.
Sources
- Salary bands: WeNanny market synthesis, as of July 2026
- Legal entitlements & sponsorship: Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022; MOHRE; UAE Government Portal — Domestic workers
- Context: Dubai Statistics Center; ILO domestic work resources
Informational only — not legal or immigration advice. Confirm current fees with MOHRE/ICP.
Methodology
For how these ranges are built, inclusions/exclusions, and limitations, see the nanny salary methodology note. Download the salary bands CSV for the dated table.