Living and working in the UAE is helping expatriates build their finances faster, with 96% saying they earn more in the country than they would in their home country and 97% saying they save more, according to a new survey.
The findings from St. James’s Place Middle East’s Money on the Move report highlight the financial advantages many affluent and high-net-worth expats associate with life in the UAE, with the stronger earning and saving potential also helping them bring forward major financial goals such as financial independence and retirement.
UAE expats are earning and saving more
The survey found that 96% of respondents say they earn more in the UAE than they would in their home country, while 97% say they save more.
For almost half of respondents, the difference is particularly significant, with 48% saying they earn and save at least 25% more than they would at home.
The higher saving potential is also evident among expats whose discretionary spending has increased. Of those respondents, 88% say they are also putting more money towards savings and investments.
For UAE residents considering an extended period abroad, the findings point to one of the key financial attractions of expat life: the ability to put more of their income towards building savings and investments.
Living in the UAE could bring retirement forward
The additional earning and saving capacity is also helping respondents move closer to longer-term financial goals.
Almost all respondents, 97%, say living abroad has accelerated their financial freedom, while 98% believe their time overseas will enable them to retire earlier.
For 64% of respondents, achieving financial freedom would have taken at least five years longer if they had never lived overseas.
Meanwhile, 70% believe living abroad will allow them to retire at least three years earlier.
The findings suggest that for many of the surveyed UAE expats, the financial benefit of living overseas is not simply about having more disposable income today, but about potentially reaching major financial milestones sooner.
Why expats are choosing to stay longer
The financial benefits are also contributing to longer stays abroad.
More than half of respondents, 55%, say they have lived overseas for longer than they originally expected. Looking ahead, 78% expect to remain abroad for at least eight years.
The decision to live in the UAE is influenced by more than earning potential. Taxation policies, residency and visa frameworks, education and healthcare were each cited by 92% of respondents as important factors when choosing where to live.
While 59% expect to eventually return to their home country, they do not expect to do so until after retirement.
What the survey means for UAE expats
For affluent expats with international financial interests, the survey presents a picture of the UAE as a place where higher earnings and greater saving capacity can support longer-term wealth-building goals.
Daniel George, Head of Business – Middle East at St. James’s Place, said: “For many expats, the UAE offers significant opportunities to advance their careers, build wealth and reach financial goals sooner. As their time abroad extends, their financial lives can also become more international, with assets and future plans spanning multiple countries.
“That makes decisions around investment, tax, retirement and succession increasingly interconnected – and long-term, cross-border planning increasingly important.”
The Money on the Move findings are based on a double-blind online survey of 450 UAE residents who have lived and worked in multiple jurisdictions and have multi-jurisdictional wealth-management considerations. The fieldwork was completed in May 2026.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
