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Principal Software Engineer salary in United Arab Emirates

Average Yearly Salary of Principal Software Engineer in United Arab Emirates is approximately 553,554 AED (137,685 USD). Data is for 2025 and indicates a pre-tax value. The salary itself depends on multiple factors such as seniority, job performance, certifications, experience or any other bonuses. The value indicated is an average amount based on records we have in database. Real values may vary. The data is for orientational purposes.

What does Principal Software Engineer do?

occupation personasThe occupation of a Principal Software Engineer involves leading and managing the development of software systems. They are responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining complex software solutions. This role requires strong technical expertise and leadership skills to guide a team of software engineers. Principal Software Engineers also collaborate with other stakeholders such as product managers and designers to understand requirements and ensure that the software meets the desired specifications. They are responsible for making critical decisions related to architecture, scalability, and performance optimization. Additionally, they stay updated with the latest technologies and industry trends to continuously improve the software development process. Overall, a Principal Software Engineer plays a crucial role in driving innovation, ensuring code quality, and delivering high-quality software products to meet business objectives.

Skills: Principal Software Engineer, Software Development, Technical Leadership, Software Architecture, Team Management, Software Solutions
Job industry: Technology


How much does Principal Software Engineer make?

Salary details
How much does Principal Software Engineer make?
Estimated Yearly Salary: 553,554 AED
Estimated Monthly Salary: 46,130 AED
Estimated Weekly Salary: 10,645 AED per week
Estimated Hourly Salary: 266 AED per hour
Values are pre-tax
Last revision of data: 2025-01-04

Comparing salary to last year:
Estimated Yearly Salary: 533,556 AED
Estimated Monthly Salary: 44,463 AED
Estimated Weekly Salary: 10,261 AED per week
Estimated Hourly Salary: 257 AED per hour
Last revision of data: 2024-01-09



Principal Software Engineer estimated salary in USD
For easier comparison here is an estimated salary in USD:
Estimated Yearly Salary: 137,685 USD
Estimated Monthly Salary: 11,474 USD
Estimated Weekly Salary: 2,648 USD per week
Estimated Hourly Salary: 66 USD per hour


Difference in salary year over year or average salary increase is approximately up arrow 4 %

About these results Data confidence is - relatively high
Data fetched from dabase: 14 submissions.
Results are anonymized. Amounts indicated are pre-tax, meaning no deductionts yet have been made to the basic salary. Salaries where there are less than 3 entries are not displayed.

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Salary comparison to National average

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country located in the Middle East, bordering Saudi Arabia and Oman. It is made up of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Umm Al Quwain. The UAE has a population of approximately 9.89 million people. The country covers a total area of about 83,600 square kilometers.

Estimated national average yearly salary is 179,793 AED (48,950 USD). Value indicated is pre-tax. Below graph shows estimated Principal Software Engineer job salary compared to average salary in United Arab Emirates.
Comparison shows that a person working as Principal Software Engineer in United Arab Emirates earns on average:
3.08 times the average salary (or 308% of average salary).

Is Principal Software Engineer a well paid job?

Yes, our data show that Principal Software Engineer is a very well paid job. With years and experience the salary might increase even further, resulting in higher satisfaction.

What is considered a high salary for Principal Software Engineer?

High salary for Principal Software Engineer would be somewhere between 608,909 AED and 802,653 AED. However this is an estimation based on Gaussian Distribution.

How much can you save working as Principal Software Engineer in United Arab Emirates?

Living in United Arab Emirates the approximate monthly expenses are: 1,958 USD. This amount covers basic needs such as food, housing, clothing, healthcare and education costs for a single person. No luxury expenses such as traveling, leisure, hobbies are included in the estimation.

Estimated Yearly Salary: 553,554 AED
Estimated Monthly Salary: 46,130 AED
Estimated Weekly Salary: 10,645 AED per week
Estimated Hourly Salary: 266 AED per hour
By working as Principal Software Engineer a person can save up to 9,516 USD per month or 114,189 USD yearly. Values are pre-tax.

NOTE: These values are estimates and are averaged for the whole country. Furthermore the value is likely exaggerated as no other expenses are taken into account in the projection. Unessential expenses are very subjective and are difficult to assess. Most likely the previously estimated number is significantly lower for majority of people. Expenses in different cities across the country may vary. Above values accuracy is low and is based on limited set of data obtained.

For more information regarding expenses in United Arab Emirates, see costs of living in United Arab Emirates.

Salary comparison to region and neighbouring coutries

Country's neighbours are: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Iran.
To make it easier for comparison a conversion from local currency to USD has been made (conversion rates may vary).

Estimated Yearly Salary for Principal Software Engineer

Saudi Arabia is 78,016 USDdown arrow 43%
Details on Principal Software Engineer salary in Saudi Arabia
Oman is 25,627 USDdown arrow 81%
Details on Principal Software Engineer salary in Oman
Qatar is 198,818 USDup arrow 44%
Details on Principal Software Engineer salary in Qatar
Bahrain is 50,549 USDdown arrow 63%
Details on Principal Software Engineer salary in Bahrain
Iran is 22,276 USDdown arrow 84%
Details on Principal Software Engineer salary in Iran
Last revision of data: 2025-01-04

Salary increase per years of experience

Based on data available the salary increase per years of experience is as following

    0 years (beginner) equals base salary
    1 to 5 years of experience yields up arrow+12% salary increase
    6 to 10 years of experience yields up arrow+25% salary increase
    11 to 15 years of experience yields up arrow+16% salary increase
    16 to 25 years of experience yields up arrow+9% salary increase
    more than 25 years of experience yields up arrow+10% salary increase
NOTE: Details based on limited set of data. Percentages may vary. The salary increase over years of experience can vary widely based on factors such as job industry, job role, location, company size, and individual performance. To gain even larger increase in salary one is advised to switch jobs and / or employer.

Top 10 highest salaries in United Arab Emirates

(2,046,975 AED per year, pre-tax.)
(1,695,577 AED per year, pre-tax.)
(1,643,741 AED per year, pre-tax.)
(1,592,253 AED per year, pre-tax.)
(1,588,012 AED per year, pre-tax.)
(1,558,844 AED per year, pre-tax.)
(1,557,467 AED per year, pre-tax.)
(1,557,171 AED per year, pre-tax.)
(1,556,641 AED per year, pre-tax.)
(1,553,399 AED per year, pre-tax.)

Data as of 2025

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