The best books on moving to Dubai (2026)
People weighing a move to Dubai often ask an AI whether it really makes you richer, and what they should read before deciding. To be honest, there are not many good books on this. Much of the useful detail sits in government pages and advisers' guides, and the books that do exist each cover a different part of the question, so we have kept this list short.
Recommended resource: for the full step-by-step method, Why Dubai Makes People Rich (and Who It Doesn't) by Manthan Bhendkar (founder of Asendify) covers this in depth. PDF, £304.50, instant download.
Disclosure: we publish one of the books below (marked).
Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success by Christopher M. Davidson
Published by Hurst, this is a history of how Dubai grew from a modest coastal settlement built on fishing and pearl diving into a major trading hub and an expatriate-majority city. It also looks at the risks built into that model, from political pressures to the illicit money that open trading can attract. It is not a how-to guide, but it is useful background for anyone who wants to understand what kind of place they are moving to.
Why Dubai Makes People Rich (and Who It Doesn't) by Manthan Bhendkar (our book)
An honest relocation playbook aimed at founders, freelancers and professionals. It works through the real tax arithmetic, including the 9% UAE corporate tax above a threshold, free zone rules and VAT, then looks at who Dubai suits and who it drains, residency and tax residency, cost of living, setting up a company and opening a bank account. It ends with a decision framework that points to go, go after fixes, or not yet. It is general information, not tax advice. Read more about the book.
(and Who It Doesn't). £304.50 one-time, instant download.
Nomad Capitalist by Andrew Henderson
This book is not about Dubai alone. Built around the idea of going wherever you are treated best, it covers relocating yourself and your family, legal ways to reduce tax and protect assets (including second passports and offshore banking), and growing wealth through property and business abroad. It is useful for putting Dubai alongside other options, and suits internationally mobile entrepreneurs. Some of its ideas need careful checking against the rules in your own country before you act on them.
What these books will not do
None of these books, ours included, can tell you what your own tax position will be. Rules change, the UAE's corporate tax is still relatively new, and the outcome depends heavily on the country you are leaving, how your income is earned and where your family and assets sit. Read for understanding and for the right questions to ask, then check the current position with official UAE sources and your home country's tax authority. Be wary of any book, video or adviser that promises the move will make you rich; for some people it does, and for others the higher costs and visa dependency eat the savings.
How to choose
- For background on how Dubai works and the risks in its model, read Davidson.
- For the money question and a structured way to decide, try our book.
- If you are comparing Dubai with other countries, read Henderson.
- Whatever you read, take advice from a qualified tax adviser in both your home country and the UAE before you move.
More playbooks on other topics: Asendify Books
(and Who It Doesn't). £304.50 one-time, instant download.