Quick answer
Nepal does not approve a job in Dubai or anywhere in the UAE that pays less than AED 1,000 a month basic for an unskilled worker, AED 1,200 for a semi-skilled and AED 1,500 for a skilled worker, each with at least AED 400 for food. With food that is AED 1,400, about Rs 58,300 at Nepal Rastra Bank's rate of Rs 41.64 a dirham on 13 October 2026.
A Dubai salary is quoted in dirhams, and the number that matters at home is rupees. This page gives Nepal's own minimum for workers going to the UAE, what common jobs are advertised at, and what each figure comes to in Nepali rupees at a stated rate. Where a figure is an agency's or a job site's estimate, it says so.
On this page
Minimum salary in Dubai for Nepali workers
| Worker | Basic salary a month | With food allowance | In Nepali rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unskilled | AED 1,000 | AED 1,400 | Rs 58,300 |
| Semi-skilled | AED 1,200 | AED 1,600 | Rs 66,600 |
| Skilled | AED 1,500 | AED 1,900 | Rs 79,100 |
Whose minimum is it?
The UAE has no general minimum wage for private-sector workers. This minimum is Nepal's rule: a demand letter offering less is not certified, and labour approval is not given for it. An agency that sends a worker below it is breaking Nepali law.
It protects you only if you go through the legal process. See how to get a job in Dubai from Nepal and the Shram Swikriti guide; the salary on the labour approval should match the contract you sign.
Dirham to Nepali rupees
| Dirhams a month | Nepali rupees a month | Nepali rupees a year |
|---|---|---|
| AED 1,000 | Rs 41,600 | Rs 4,99,700 |
| AED 1,200 | Rs 50,000 | Rs 5,99,600 |
| AED 1,500 | Rs 62,500 | Rs 7,49,500 |
| AED 2,000 | Rs 83,300 | Rs 9,99,400 |
| AED 2,500 | Rs 1,04,100 | Rs 12,49,200 |
| AED 3,000 | Rs 1,24,900 | Rs 14,99,000 |
| AED 5,000 | Rs 2,08,200 | Rs 24,98,400 |
Dubai salary by job
| Job | Advertised a month | In Nepali rupees | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building labourer | AED 1,000 | Rs 41,600 | JobsNepal listing, 2026 |
| Building cleaner | AED 1,200 | Rs 50,000 | JobsNepal listing, 2026 |
| Light driver | AED 1,200 | Rs 50,000 | FrontLine Recruitment, 2025 |
| Waiter | AED 1,400 | Rs 58,300 | FrontLine Recruitment, 2025 |
| Scaffolder, building painter | AED 1,500 | Rs 62,500 | JobsNepal listings, 2026 |
| Security guard | AED 1,497 – 2,437 | Rs 62,300 – 1,01,500 | Indeed UAE average; Naukrigulf, Dubai |
| Receptionist | AED 1,500 – 2,000 | Rs 62,500 – 83,300 | FrontLine Recruitment, 2025 |
| Bartender | AED 1,800 | Rs 75,000 | FrontLine Recruitment, 2025 |
| Cook | AED 1,850 | Rs 77,000 | FrontLine Recruitment, 2025 |
| Housekeeping or carpentry supervisor | AED 2,200 | Rs 91,600 | FrontLine Recruitment; JobsNepal |
What is paid on top of the basic salary
- Food. Nepal's rule requires at least AED 400 a month for food, or food provided. Ask which.
- Accommodation and transport. Most labour, hospitality and security jobs provide shared accommodation and transport to work. If the contract does not say so, the rent comes out of your salary, and rent in Dubai is high.
- Overtime. The UAE's labour law sets normal hours at eight a day and 48 a week, with overtime at 125% of basic pay and 150% for night hours or a rest day, as the law is generally summarised. Ask how overtime is recorded.
- End-of-service gratuity. After a year of service, 21 days of basic salary for each of the first five years. It is worked out on the basic salary, which is one reason to look at the basic figure and not only the total.
- Leave and the return ticket. Annual leave and who pays the ticket home should be in the contract.
How much of it you keep
The UAE does not charge income tax on salaries, so nothing is deducted for tax. What reduces the amount you can send home is what the employer does not provide: food if only the allowance is paid, a phone and data, and anything you owe for the journey.
Under Nepal's free-visa, free-ticket rule the employer pays for the visa and the air ticket, and the fee an agency may charge the worker is limited. A large loan taken to pay an agent is the commonest reason a Dubai salary does not turn into savings. Do not pay more than the rules allow, and take a receipt for everything.
Before you accept an offer
- 1Read the basic salary, not the total, and compare it with the minimum for your category above.
- 2Ask in writing whether food, accommodation and transport are provided or paid as allowances.
- 3Check that the salary on the demand letter, the contract and the labour approval is the same figure. If the contract you are shown in Dubai is lower, that is contract substitution; contact the embassy.
- 4Convert it yourself at today's rate on the AED to NPR page, and compare it with what you earn now and what the journey will cost.
Common questions
What is the minimum salary in Dubai for Nepali workers?
Nepal's minimum for workers going to the UAE is AED 1,000 a month basic for unskilled workers, AED 1,200 for semi-skilled and AED 1,500 for skilled, each with at least AED 400 for food. It was announced in June 2025.
How much is 1,000 dirhams in Nepali rupees?
About Rs 41,600 at Nepal Rastra Bank's buying rate of Rs 41.64 on 13 October 2026. The rate changes daily.
How much is a 2,000 dirham salary in Nepal?
About Rs 83,300 a month, or Rs 9,99,400 a year, at Rs 41.64 a dirham.
What is a security guard's salary in Dubai in Nepali rupees?
Job sites put it between about AED 1,497 and AED 2,437 a month, which is Rs 62,300 to Rs 1,01,500. These are averages reported by job sites, not an official rate.
What is a waiter's salary in Dubai for a Nepali?
A recruitment agency's 2025 estimate is AED 1,400 a month, about Rs 58,300, usually with accommodation, and tips where the hotel shares them.
Is salary taxed in Dubai?
No. The UAE does not charge income tax on salaries.
Does the UAE have a minimum wage?
Not a general one for private-sector workers. The minimum that applies to Nepalis is set by Nepal, which will not approve a job below it.
