Hafiz Hanif
Founder & Editor, Dubai Money Matters
My name is Hafiz Hanif. I’m a software developer based in Dubai, currently working at Devsall, and I’ve spent the last 16 years living and working across the Gulf — 15 years in Saudi Arabia and the past year here in the UAE.
I started Dubai Money Matters for a simple reason. Over those 16 years, friends, colleagues and newcomers kept asking me the same questions: How do you actually find a job here? What salary is realistic? How does the visa process really work? How do people earn extra income on the side? When I looked online for answers to send them, I mostly found outdated, generic articles with no real numbers and no honest detail.
This site is my attempt to fix that.
How the content is written
Every guide here is researched and written by me. I draw on three things: my own 16 years of living and working in the Gulf, conversations with the many expats and professionals I’ve met along the way, and careful checking of current rules, salary benchmarks and market data from reliable sources.
Where I’m sharing something from my own direct experience, I’ll say so clearly. Where a guide is based on research, verified figures, or the experiences of people I’ve spoken to, I present it as exactly that — honest, practical guidance rather than a personal claim. I’d rather be accurate than dramatic.
What this site covers
Dubai Money Matters covers the practical career and money questions expats and residents in the UAE actually face: finding a job, knowing what salary to ask for, understanding visa and labour rules, building a side income, freelancing, and making your money go further in one of the world’s most expensive cities.
A note on accuracy
Dubai’s job market, salary benchmarks, visa rules and tax regulations change regularly. I review and date my guides, and I correct them when things change. If you spot something out of date or wrong, please email me — I take corrections seriously.
Nothing on this site is professional financial, legal or immigration advice. It’s practical, researched guidance from someone who has navigated these systems and wants to save you time.
Contact
You can reach me directly:
- Email: contact@dubaimoneymatters.com
- LinkedIn: Hafiz Hanif
- Personal site: hafizhanif.cloud
I read every message.