# In-house accountant vs outsourcing: cost comparison

> An in-house accountant in the UAE costs their salary plus visa, insurance, gratuity, software and training, and most SMEs still pay for external tax and year-end support. Outsourcing replaces all of that with one monthly fee and usually costs less until transaction volumes need someone in the office every day.

Interactive calculator: https://www.countify.ae/tools/in-house-vs-outsourced-accountant · Updated 2026-10-14 · Countify UAE

## In-house accountant vs outsourcing

Default extra costs; outsourced fee of AED 4,500 a month.

| Accountant salary | In-house cost per year | Annual saving by outsourcing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AED 8,000 | AED 132,000.00 | AED 78,000.00 |
| AED 12,000 | AED 180,000.00 | AED 126,000.00 |
| AED 20,000 | AED 276,000.00 | AED 222,000.00 |

Compare like with like: an in-house junior usually still needs external tax and year-end support.

## When each option makes sense

Outsource while you have fewer than a few hundred transactions a month, no complex inventory and a founder who approves payments. Hire once you need daily processing, on-site document handling or in-house credit control, and keep an external firm for tax and audit. Read our guide on [choosing an accountant in the UAE](https://www.countify.ae/blog/how-to-choose-accountant-in-uae).

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does an accountant cost in Dubai?

Salaries vary widely by experience; add roughly 15–25% for visa, insurance, gratuity and other costs. Compare that with fixed-fee outsourced quotes.