**Formula:** `(target net + visa + insurance + ops + savings) / billable days`.
Inside your rate
Freelance permit renewals (12k–25k AED/yr typical range), medical (5k–12k), coworking/legal, flight home allocations.
Links
[AE calculator](/ae/) · [Freelance vs employed Dubai](/ae/freelance-vs-employed-dubai)
How we calculate your break-even rate
With 0% personal income tax, the solver still adds visa, medical, establishment, ops, and savings, then divides by billable days (176 default).
If you only sell 140 days, multiply required revenue by 176 ÷ 140. VAT (5%) is quoted on top when applicable.
Typical UAE freelance day rates (2025/2026, AED)
Corporate B2B; strategy and transformation sit high.
| Industry | Junior (0-3y) | Mid (3-7y) | Senior (7+y) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tech delivery | 2,000-3,500 | 3,500-5,500 | 5,500-9,000 |
| Design / UX | 1,800-3,000 | 3,000-4,500 | 4,500-7,000 |
| Advisory | 2,500-4,000 | 4,000-6,500 | 6,500-11,000 |
| Marketing | 1,500-2,800 | 2,800-4,200 | 4,200-6,500 |
| Finance | 2,000-3,500 | 3,500-5,500 | 5,500-8,500 |
Your “tax” is **visa + medical + sponsor**—load them explicitly, not mentally zero.
What to say when clients push back on your rate
Anchor on loaded employment packages—visa, medical, and flights often sit on the employer side.
Script: “My AED rate covers permit renewals, insurance, and bench between projects. If budget is tight, we cut milestones—not quality silently.”
Day vs hour: day for workshops; hourly with weekly minimum.
VAT: quote exclusive of 5% when your license requires it.
FAQ
Daily for consulting blocks; hourly with caps.
Quote exclusive unless your license requires VAT invoicing—keep cash separate.
Add visa + medical to freelance needs—salary quotes often hide them.
5-10% for retainers can be fair if payment terms are clean.
Annually with inflation; visas rise too.
Below ~AED 2,000/day for senior advisory, fixed compliance costs dominate.