GCC Domestic Worker Cost Index — Q3 2026
Quick answer: upfront hiring costs in Q3 2026 range from about BHD 600–900 in Bahrain (the cheapest year-one entry) to SAR 8,000–21,000 in Saudi Arabia (the most expensive), with the UAE's Tadbeer packages at AED 2,500–7,000. Below is the every-country table, from our published country guides.
This index is refreshed quarterly from the figures maintained across our country fee guides. Currency figures are local; each links to the full breakdown.
Upfront cost by country (Q3 2026)
| Country | Upfront package / year-one fees | Typical monthly salary band | Full breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | AED 2,500–7,000 (2-year Tadbeer package) | AED 1,300–2,200 | Tadbeer packages guide |
| Saudi Arabia | SAR 8,000–21,000 (Musaned package, by nationality) | SAR 1,000–2,000 | Musaned fees guide |
| Kuwait | KWD 600–1,200 (incl. KWD 150 work permit) | KWD 60–140 | Kuwait fees guide |
| Qatar | QAR 4,200–12,000 (QAR 1,500–3,000 for local transfer) | QAR 1,000+ (legal minimum QAR 1,000) | Qatar fees guide |
| Bahrain | BHD 600–900 year-one (incl. refundable BHD 500 guarantee) | BHD 60–150 | Bahrain LMRA fees guide |
| Oman | see guide | OMR 100–180 | Oman fees guide |
What moved this quarter
- Philippines DMW minimum — USD 500/month now applies to newly processed contracts across the Gulf, lifting the Filipino salary floor in every market (Kuwait ≈ KD 153, Saudi and UAE equivalents apply).
- Kuwait — the KWD 150 work-permit fee (all exemptions ended January 2025) plus KWD 350 for transfers keeps Kuwait's government-fee load among the region's highest.
- Qatar local transfers — at QAR 1,500–3,000, transferring a worker already in Qatar remains roughly a third of the cost of international recruitment.
How to read this index
- Upfront ranges bundle agency package, visa/permit, medical and insurance where the country guide does; the linked guide itemizes each line.
- Nationality moves you inside every range: Filipino workers carry the highest embassy minimums; East African nationalities are usually the most affordable.
- Salaries are what you pay monthly ON TOP of the upfront package — see the per-country, per-nationality tables in our salary guides.
Methodology
Figures are drawn from GCC Domestic's maintained country fee guides (linked in the table), which are updated as regulators and embassies publish changes, and cross-checked against our legal-claims register process. Next refresh: Q4 2026.
