If you’re setting up or scaling in the UAE, one question hits early: how much does an accountant cost in Dubai? Just so, fees vary by risk, structure, and scope, and you’ll see different price bands. Anyhow, once you understand the drivers—complexity, compliance, and transactions —you can budget with avoid surprise add-ons and confidence .
Table of Contents
In addition, I’ll break down smart ways to cut spend without cutting quality, line-item inclusions, and, real-world ranges. Moreover, I’ll also highlight core keywords such as outsourced accounting Dubai, VAT filing UAE, bookkeeping Dubai, and accounting services in Dubai, to help you rank and win featured answers.
Why Costs Differ in Dubai
First, transaction volume drives effort. Additionally,more bank lines and invoices mean more reviews and reconciliations —so, higher fees. Secondly, industry changes risk; for example, e-commerce, construction, and F&B, require tighter controls than a low-volume consultancy. Third, payroll/WPS, ESR, corporate tax, VAT, and compliance layers add complexity. In the end, data hygiene and software stack matter; while messy records increase work, clean inputs reduce it.
Therefore, before you ask for quotes, list your monthly volumes, platforms, payroll headcount, VAT status, and reporting needs. Then vendors can scope properly. Get details on Accounting and Bookkeeping Service in Dubai.
Typical Engagement Models (-and What You Get-)
1) Bookkeeping-Only (–Lean Startups & Freelancers–)
- Scope: basic ledgers,bank reconciliation,.recording purchases/sales,
- Range: AED from 600 to 1,200 per month for micro businesses with <150 transactions.
- Best for: early-stage e-commerce pilots, Solo consultants,.
2) VAT+Accounting (-Most SMEs-)
- Scope: management reports,AR follow-ups,vendor statements, VAT return preparation/filing,month-end checks,Bookkeeping,,,.
- Range: AED from 1,200 to 3,500/month depending on multi-currency ,filings,and volume,.
- Great for: boutiques, clinics,. agencies, trading firms,
3) Controller/CFO-Lite (-Growth Stage-)
- Scope: Everything above plus policies,audit prep,board packs,budget vs. actuals,KPIs, cash-flow forecasting,
- Range: AED from 4,000 to 12,000+/month based on sector and complexity .
- Ideal for: multi-entity groups,funded startups,Scaling brands,,.
One-Off & Add-On Fees You Should Expect
- VAT registration: AED From 800 to 2,500 (–depends on documentation readiness–).
- Backlog catch-up/cleanup: AED from 1,500 to 10,000+ (–scope-based–).
- Year-end financials pack: AED from 2,000 to 8,000 (from trial balance to statements).
- Audit coordination: AED from 1,500 to 5,000 (queries,confirmations,schedules, ).
- First assessment & Corporate tax registration : AED from 1,200 to 4,500 (-differs by entity-).
- Monthly processing & WPS/Payroll setup: AED 25–200 per employee (-plus setup-).
Price Benchmarks by Business Profile
| Profile | Monthly Transactions | VAT Status | Typical Monthly Fee | What You Get |
| Solo Consultant | <80 | Optional | AED from 600 to 900 | Bookkeeping, bank rec, basic reports |
| Small Retail / Salon | 200–500 | Yes | AED from 1,500 to 2,800 | POS tie-in, inventory support,VAT filing,Bookkeeping,,, |
| Trading SME | 300–700 | Yes | AED 2,000–3,500 | AP/AR, landed cost support, VAT, management pack |
| E-commerce | 400–1,000 | Yes | AED 2,200–4,000 | Marketplace recon, payment gateway mapping, returns handling |
| Scale-Up (CFO-Lite) | 700–1,500 | Yes | AED from 4,500 to 12,000+ | audit readiness,board reporting,cash-flow,Budgeting,,, |
Naturally, your quote might sit lower or higher. Yet the table helps you sanity-check proposals fast.
Mainland vs Free Zone: Any Cost Difference?
Sometimes. Free Zones often bundle flexi-desk + establishment card + visas, which simplifies billing; meanwhile, Mainland firms mix third-party rent and attestation costs. However, the accounting fee itself usually depends on volume and compliance, not jurisdiction. Still, if your Free Zone requires statutory audit, your total annual spend will rise.
How to Lower Accounting Spend (Without Risking Compliance)
Standardize inputs.
Use a single cloud accounting platform (–Zoho Books, Online, QuickBooks, Xero,– ). Also, connect your bank feeds and payment gateways.
Digitize bills. Adopt OCR and rules; your provider spends less time coding, so you pay less.
Close monthly. Tight month-end routines stop backlogs and cut cleanup fees later.
Share a finance calendar. Agree VAT, payroll, and management report dates. Therefore, everyone stays on time.
Right-size scope. Start lean, then add CFO-lite as your runway stretches.
Avoid false economies. The cheapest quote often excludes reviews; mistakes later will cost far more.
Signs You’re Paying the Right Price:-
- You receive on-time monthly reports with a clean reconciliation summary.
- Your VAT return ties to your ledgers and supporting schedules.
- Bank, POS, and marketplace balances match statements.
- You get actionable insights (not just data dumps): margins, burn, and cash runway.
- During audit, schedules are ready, and queries resolve quickly.
When these happen consistently, your spend supports control, clarity, and growth.
In-House Accountant vs Outsourced Firm
In-house: You control hours; you build internal knowledge. Yet you carry salary, visas, insurance, gratuity, and software costs. A junior accountant’s total annual cost can exceed AED 90,000–140,000 once you add benefits and overhead.
Outsourced: You pay a predictable monthly fee for a multi-skill team—bookkeeper, accountant, reviewer, sometimes a CFO. Moreover, you can scale up or down fast. For most SMEs, outsourced accounting Dubai offers better flexibility and depth for the price.
What Impacts VAT & Corporate Tax Fees Most
- Mixed supplies (standard-rated, zero-rated, exempt) complicate VAT.
- Multi-emirate or cross-border chains add checks.
- Related-party and transfer pricing trigger extra documentation under corporate tax UAE.
- Backdated corrections raise review time.
Therefore, disclose everything upfront. Then your quote will be accurate, and your filings will be right the first time.
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Sample Monthly Scope (You Can Copy-Paste into RFPs)
- Daily posting of sales, purchases, and expenses
- Bank, POS, and gateway reconciliations
- AR/AP aging with follow-up notes
- Inventory and landed cost support (if applicable)
- VAT return preparation and filing
- Payroll/WPS file (optional)
- Month-end close with management pack (–KPIs,cash-flow,balance sheet,P&L,–)
- Quarter-end review call and action list
Add or remove items to match your stage. After that negotiate a fair fee for the defined scope.
Conclusion: Understanding Accountant Costs in Dubai
To begin with, collect three quotes with identical scope. In addition, request line-item pricing for add-ons like backlog cleanup or VAT registration. More than that, check software familiarity—migrations inflate cost. In the end, clarify response times, handover when staff change, and reporting templates. Consequently, With those locked, you’ll pay a fair price and get reliable numbers every month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually AED from 1,200 to 3,500, including VAT support, reviews, and bookkeeping.
Usually AED 600–1,200 per month for low volumes.
Depending on documentation readiness approximately, AED from 800 to 2,500,.
Yes,usually, budget AED from 2,000 to 8,000, scope-dependent.
Usually, more lines mean more reconciliations, so higher monthly fees.
Not directly; Totals are influenced by complexity and audit requirements.
Usually, poor data hygiene, backdated corrections, and mixed supplies.
Standardize software, digitize bills, and close monthly.
Usually, based on complexity ,from AED 4,000 to 12,000+ monthly.
