New research published this week reveals that nearly half of affluent residents in the UAE now expect to retire in the country.
The Money on the Move study by wealth management firm St James's Place, which surveyed 450 affluent and high-net-worth residents across the UAE in May 2026, found that 44 per cent plan to retire here. More than half said they had already stayed longer than they originally intended, while 78 per cent expect to remain overseas for at least another eight years.
"The UAE has become somewhere people can genuinely see themselves building a life, rather than somewhere they come for a few years to advance their career," said Daniel George, head of business at St James's Place Middle East.
"People come for the career opportunity, build wealth and a life here, and increasingly find there is less reason to leave."
Accelerated financial freedom
The financial incentives are substantial with 96 per cent of respondents saying they earn more in the UAE than they would in a comparable role at home, and 97 per cent save more each month. Almost half said they earn and save at least 25 per cent more. Two in three believe that living abroad has accelerated their path to financial freedom by at least five years.
For Justin Cooke, a British entrepreneur who moved to Abu Dhabi with his family in 2024, the shift from temporary resident to long-term home happened faster than he anticipated. He and his wife have since built businesses spanning travel and hospitality media, sport, education and technology, while their children have embedded themselves in UAE schools and sporting life.
"I suspect the old idea that people come to the UAE for a few years, make some money and then leave is becoming increasingly outdated," Mr Cooke said. "People are putting down roots. They are building businesses, educating their children here, buying homes and increasingly imagining the next 20 or 30 years of their lives here too."
No place like 'home'
Mr Cooke, whose 75-year-old father lives in Dubai, says he can see himself retiring here. “A few years ago, I probably would not have imagined retiring in the UAE, but now it feels entirely plausible,” he said.
The decision has very little to do with tax, too, he added. “Of course it is part of the broader financial environment, but it was nowhere close to the top of our list …" he said.
For affluent and high-net-worth individuals, the attraction is that the UAE offers the freedom, infrastructure and opportunity to keep building. For us, that is far more important than simply preserving what we have already created."
Creating a new home
For others, the decision to retire in the UAE has effectively already been made. Sarah Louise, an Australian entrepreneur who relocated to Dubai alongside her French husband, says the concept of "going home" no longer applies to her family.
“Dubai sits at the centre of the world for us in terms of how we operate our businesses internationally, and that connectivity is something we have never found before,” she said. "When your life and your network and your infrastructure are all in one place, retirement for us becomes more about the continuity of our lives we have built, rather than escaping back to our 'home' towns.”
Retired but not stopping
The research found a notable divergence between wealth segments: mass affluent expats were 2.7 times more likely than their high-net-worth counterparts to view the UAE as a permanent home, suggesting that those at the lower end of the affluence spectrum may feel more deeply embedded in the country and less inclined to move on.
Joshua Oliver, who advises high-net-worth individuals and relocated to Dubai from London this year, says attitudes are shifting across his client base. "The perception of retiring in the UAE is changing. Historically, many expats assumed they would eventually return to their home country, whereas now I hear more conversations about remaining here permanently or at least making the UAE their primary base in retirement," he said.
“For affluent individuals in particular, retirement doesn't necessarily mean completely stopping work. Many remain involved in investments, businesses and advisory roles, so they want somewhere that combines lifestyle with connectivity and opportunity. The UAE fits that increasingly well,” he added.
Geopolitical uncertainty
Regional geopolitical uncertainty is a factor in the picture, though not in the way one might expect. While 92 per cent of respondents expressed concern about geopolitical instability and 46 per cent described it as a major concern, seven in 10 respondents said their perception of the region as a place to live had actually become more positive over the past year.
“So, while geopolitical uncertainty can shape short-term sentiment and financial decisions, the factors drawing expats to build a longer-term life in the UAE remain strong,” said Mr George.
Ultimately, it’s an ecosystem that works for affluent individuals. “The infrastructure moves fast, the economy grows fast and the entire environment is oriented toward opportunity rather than stagnation,” said Ms Louise.
“For high-net-worth individuals specifically, what matters is being surrounded by people and conditions that match your ambition and your pace, and Dubai does that consistently. This is a city that attracts people who want to take opportunities rather than observe them, and when you are surrounded by that energy every day it becomes genuinely motivating rather than simply convenient.”
Time to plan
With seven in 10 respondents believing that living in the UAE will allow them to retire at least three years earlier than they otherwise would, St James's Place says the financial planning implications of longer and potentially permanent stays are significant.
Eighty-nine per cent of respondents said that better financial advice earlier in their time abroad would have improved their savings and investment outcomes.
"Time is one of the biggest advantages we have when planning for retirement," Mr George said. "The earlier you start making deliberate decisions, the more options you are likely to have later."
Most of all, Mr Oliver said, any decision to stay or move should not necessarily have anything to do with money. “Come with the intention of actually building a life here rather than simply relocating for financial reasons. Spend time understanding the different communities, where you want to live, how you want your day-to-day life to look and where your professional and social network will come from.”
