Ralph Orena
Dubai Wealth Blueprint
Two ways to plan your first million
Free tool
Plan it with your numbers
Put in your pay, what you invest and what you already have. See when you’d reach AED 1 million and what fees and waiting cost you. Nothing is sent or saved.
Free guide · PDF
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Fifteen pages on building wealth in the UAE: the maths, gratuity, fees, property costs, protecting what you’ve built and a yearly checklist to keep.
Your first million in Dubai: plan it with your own numbers
How long would it take you to reach AED 1 million in the UAE? Mostly, it depends on how much you invest each month, not on finding a clever investment. This free calculator works it out from your take-home pay, what you invest and what you already have, and shows what fees, inflation and waiting two years really cost you.
It also works out your end-of-service gratuity on your basic salary, checks whether your emergency fund would cover a gap between jobs, and ends with the yearly checklist from my Dubai Wealth Blueprint guide, which you can download free as a PDF.
I’m Ralph Orena, a Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA, CGMA) living in Dubai. This is general information and education only. It is not financial, investment or tax advice, and it is not a recommendation to buy any product.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to invest each month to reach AED 1 million?
At an average return of 5% a year before fees, it takes about AED 25,800 a month over three years, AED 14,700 over five, AED 10,000 over seven and AED 6,400 over ten. The calculator works it out for your own target, timeframe and starting point. Returns are assumptions, not forecasts, and real returns can be negative.
How is end-of-service gratuity calculated in the UAE?
Under the federal labour law, gratuity is 21 days of basic pay for each of your first five years and 30 days for each year after that, capped at two years’ pay. A day’s pay is your monthly basic salary × 12 ÷ 365, so AED 15,000 basic gives about AED 51,800 after five years and about AED 125,800 after ten. It is worked out on basic salary, not your total package, and DIFC employees are in the DEWS savings scheme instead. Rules last checked October 2026.
How much do investment fees really cost?
Investing AED 15,000 a month for five years at 5% a year before fees leaves about AED 1,014,900 after 0.2% in yearly charges, AED 994,500 after 1% and AED 969,700 after 2%. Over ten years at AED 6,400 a month, paying 2% instead of 0.2% costs about AED 89,000. Long-term expat savings plans often charge 2% or more, so ask for every charge in writing before you sign anything.
How big should my emergency fund be in the UAE?
Three to six months of essential costs, in cash, in the UAE. After a work visa is cancelled, most people get roughly 30 to 60 days to find work or leave. Job-loss insurance (ILOE) pays 60% of basic salary for up to three months, capped at AED 10,000 or AED 20,000 a month, and only after 12 months’ membership and not if you resign. Aim for six months if you are the only earner or your family’s visas depend on your job. Rules last checked October 2026.
What does “in today’s money” mean?
Prices rise while you save, so a million in seven years will buy less than a million today. At 2.5% inflation a year it is worth about AED 841,000 in today’s money, and at 5% about AED 711,000. Tick “Measure my target in today’s money” and the calculator aims for a million in today’s prices instead.
Is what I type saved anywhere?
No. The calculator runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent, saved or seen by anyone, and the checklist ticks are cleared when you leave the page.
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