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Technology · Salary in the GCC

Software Engineer

Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. In the GCC market, this role is actively hired across Kuwait, Oman, Qatar with 96 recent postings.

In brief

A Software Engineer in the GCC region requires communication, java, JavaScript, SQL, Git. Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. This role is in demand across the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Salary across the GCC

Salary across the GCC

Monthly gross median in local currency, by country × seniority.

Software Engineer — Monthly gross median in local currency, by country × seniority.
CountryJuniorMid-LevelSeniorLead / Principal
United Arab Emirates17,500 AED30,000 AED46,500 AED64,500 AED
Saudi Arabia16,500 SAR28,500 SAR44,500 SAR61,500 SAR
Qatar18,000 QAR31,500 QAR48,500 QAR67,500 QAR
Kuwait1,400 KWD2,450 KWD3,800 KWD5,250 KWD
Oman1,600 OMR2,700 OMR4,200 OMR5,850 OMR
Bahrain1,500 BHD2,600 BHD4,000 BHD5,550 BHD
Salary breakdown

How Software Engineer pay varies in the UAE

UAE · mid-level · monthly gross in AED

Modelled from 606 market signals (Michael Page, Cooper Fitch & Hays surveys + Tabbio posting data) · updated June 15, 2026 · How we estimate

Market signals
606
postings & surveys
Year-over-year
+11%
vs 2025
Hiring demand
High
roles open now
Remote share
28%
fully or hybrid

By company size

Median compensation varies with headcount.

Startup (<50)25,000
Scale-up (50–500)30,000
Enterprise (500+)39,000

Top-paying industries

Median for this role, ranked by sector.

01Fintech
36,500
02Cloud & SaaS
33,500
03E-commerce
30,000
04Government tech
28,000
05Telecom
26,000

Estimates modelled from GCC pay surveys and live posting volume — a directional guide, not a live salary feed.

Required skills

communicationjavajavascriptsqlgitreactexcel.net

Top hiring companies

  • Global Corporation
  • Property Finder
  • United Arab Emirates University
  • Revolut
  • The Flex
  • Flatgigs

Active markets

  • kuwait
  • oman
  • qatar
  • saudi
  • uae
What a Software Engineer does
  • 01

    Collaborate with cross

  • 02

    Design, develop and maintain full

  • 03

    Design, develop, and maintain high

  • 04

    quality software applications and systems.

  • 05

    functional teams to define, design, and ship new features.

  • 06

    Write clean, scalable, and efficient code following industry best practices.

  • 07

    Participate in code reviews to ensure code quality and adherence to standards.

  • 08

    Troubleshoot, debug, and resolve software defects and performance issues.

See the full job description →
Country
Seniority level
Estimates modelled from GCC pay surveys and live posting volume
Frequently asked questions

  • What is the average Software Engineer salary in the UAE?

    The median monthly gross salary for a mid-level Software Engineer in the UAE is estimated from sample Gulf pay data. The figures scale with seniority — juniors earn roughly 55-60% of the mid level, seniors about 1.5×, and leads/principals close to 2×.

  • Which GCC country pays Software Engineer salaries the most?

    Qatar and the UAE typically lead for Software Engineer salaries, with Saudi Arabia close behind. Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman pay in local currency but the gross AED-equivalent is usually somewhat lower.

  • Are these figures gross or net?

    All numbers are monthly gross base pay — before housing or transport allowances, bonuses, or statutory deductions. GCC payroll typically has no income tax for residents, so gross and net are close for most expats.

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