Benchmark tax-free gross monthly salaries, housing allowances (25%), transport (10%), and End of Service Gratuities (EOSG) for all professions across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.
Based on standard GCC labour-law splits (60% basic / 25% housing).
Basic pay
SAR15,000
Housing
SAR6,250
End-of-service gratuity
SAR31,500
Tax-free take-home:
SAR 25,000 / month
Sample roles and monthly tax-free salaries across key industries.
Tax-free monthly compensation bands sourced from verified 2026 regional hiring contracts
| Role & Experience | Entry Level | Mid-Career | Senior / Lead | Seniority Spread | Market Demand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Junior Software Engineer0–2 yrs | SAR 12,000 Entry tier | SAR 16,000 Median market | SAR 20,000 Top tier | +67%Growth | High |
Mid-Level Software Engineer2–5 yrs | SAR 20,000 Entry tier | SAR 25,000 Median market | SAR 30,000 Top tier | +50%Growth | Very High |
Senior Software Engineer5–8 yrs | SAR 22,000 Entry tier | SAR 30,000 Median market | SAR 38,000 Top tier | +73%Growth | Very High |
Lead / Staff Software Engineer9–12+ yrs | SAR 35,000 Entry tier | SAR 42,000 Median market | SAR 48,000 Top tier | +37%Growth | Very High |
AI & Generative Machine Learning Engineer | SAR 30,000 Entry tier | SAR 38,000 Median market | SAR 48,000 Top tier | +60%Growth | Very High |
Data Scientist & Data Engineer | SAR 26,000 Entry tier | SAR 32,000 Median market | SAR 41,000 Top tier | +58%Growth | High |
DevOps & Cloud Systems Architect | SAR 28,000 Entry tier | SAR 34,000 Median market | SAR 42,000 Top tier | +50%Growth | High |
Product ManagerDigital & Tech | SAR 35,000 Entry tier | SAR 40,000 Median market | SAR 46,000 Top tier | +31%Growth | High |
Understand what makes up your total package.
60%
Basic Monthly Pay
Under Saudi Qiwa & UAE Labor Law, EOSG gratuity is calculated strictly on Basic Salary.
25%
Housing Allowance
Paid monthly or as a lump sum advance for accommodation in Riyadh, Dubai, or Doha.
10%
Transportation Allowance
Allocated for vehicle leasing, fuel allowance, or commuting.
5%
Schooling & VIP Medical
VIP medical coverage for candidate & family + SAR/AED 25,000–45,000/yr per child.
Key cost of living and residency benefits.
| City | Income tax | Avg rent | Purchasing power | Residency visa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | 0% Income Tax (15% VAT) | SAR 36k–60k / yr | Very High | Qiwa Work / Premium Residency |
Dubai, UAE | 0% Income Tax (5% VAT) | AED 55k–99k / yr | High | 10-Year UAE Golden Visa |
Abu Dhabi, UAE | 0% Income Tax (5% VAT) | AED 47k–85k / yr | Very High | 10-Year UAE Golden Visa |
Doha, Qatar | 0% Income Tax (0% VAT) | QAR 52k–83k / yr | High | QVC Employer Work Visa |
Kuwait City, Kuwait | 0% Income Tax (0% VAT) | KWD 2.3k–3.4k / yr | Very High | PAM Article 18 / Sahel Exit |
Manama, Bahrain | 0% Income Tax (10% VAT) | BHD 2.5k–3.7k / yr | High | LMRA EMS / SIO Gratuity |
Muscat, Oman | 0% Tax (5% >42k OMR in 2028) | OMR 2.1k–3.1k / yr | High | MoL & 2026 Accreditation |
Comprehensive statutory frameworks, tax-free compensation benchmarks, and mandatory deductions for each GCC nation.
Use our GCC salary data to make informed career moves and secure the best compensation package.
