Last updated: June 2026 · Pricing checklist · Not tax advice
Costs to include before calculating your rate
A Dubai freelancer's rate should not start with salary math. It should start with the revenue needed to cover personal income, recurring business costs, and non-billable time.
- Freelance permit, license, visa, or establishment costs that apply to your setup.
- Accounting, banking, invoicing, and payment gateway costs.
- Software subscriptions, hardware replacement, internet, and workspace costs.
- Unpaid sales calls, proposals, admin, revisions, sick days, and holidays.
- VAT or tax buffers where your registration status requires them.
Simple rate formula
Monthly target revenue = desired take-home income + monthly business costs + buffer. Divide that by realistic billable days, then divide by billable hours if you quote hourly.
Example: AED 20,000 desired income + AED 3,000 monthly business costs + 30% buffer = AED 29,900 target revenue. If you expect 10 billable days, the day-rate target is AED 2,990.
VAT check
The UAE Federal Tax Authority says VAT registration is required when taxable supplies and imports exceed the mandatory registration threshold. Check official FTA guidance before using VAT wording or adding tax to invoices.