Housing allowance benchmarks for 2027

Rents in the areas where most of our staff live have risen sharply again this year, and renewal letters are forwarded to me almost weekly. Our housing allowance has been fixed by grade since 2023: 96,000 dirhams a year at professional level, 150,000 for managers and 220,000 for directors.

I am preparing a proposal for January and need to know whether we are behind. If you are willing, share your allowance by level, whether you pay it monthly or as an annual advance, and whether you have moved to a consolidated package. We are also debating different rates for Abu Dhabi.