Online tuition fees in Dubai are quoted in four different units by four different kinds of provider, which is why parents comparing them at 11 pm cannot tell what anything costs. This post puts every option on the same line, per hour, for the four school systems Indian families in the UAE use, says what each price buys, explains the KHDA rule that changed tutoring in 2023, and gives the questions to ask before paying. The prices are the ranges providers advertise in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September 2026; ask for the per-hour rate from anyone who quotes a package.
The four options, per hour
| Option | Per hour (AED) | Format | Who teaches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home tutor, Dubai or Sharjah | 100 to 250 | 1-on-1, in person, at your home | Varies: a schoolteacher moonlighting, a graduate, a specialist for IB and A-Level at the top of the range |
| Tuition centre (Karama, Bur Dubai, Al Nahda, Abu Dhabi) | 60 to 150 | Groups of 5 to 15, fixed timetable | Centre staff; strongest for CBSE Class 9 to 12 board preparation |
| Online marketplace tutor (Preply, Superprof, local apps) | 40 to 120 | 1-on-1 online, tutor chosen by you | Anyone; qualifications self-declared |
| India-based 1-on-1 online tutoring (this site) | 37 to 48 (US$10 to $13) | 1-on-1 online, same tutor every week, recording and notes | Master's-qualified teachers who taught CBSE, ICSE, IGCSE and IB before teaching online |
Three things the table shows. The spread is fivefold. The price follows the tutor's location and the provider's overhead, not the teaching; the top of the marketplace band and the bottom of the home-tutor band are often the same person. And the only option cheaper than ours is a group, which for a child who is behind is the wrong format at any price.
What the price buys, by school system
CBSE and ICSE (Class 3 to 12). The Dubai CBSE schools use NCERT (and Selina for ICSE) exactly as in India, with classes of 35 to 45. A tutor's job is the chapter a week ahead, the school's worksheet, and from Class 9 the board pattern and marking scheme. Home tutors at AED 100 to 150 and centres at AED 60 to 100 do this in Dubai; our tutors do the same chapters 1-on-1 for AED 37 to 48, and most of them taught CBSE in India before teaching online.
British schools (GCSE and A-Level). KS2 and KS3 a term ahead, then Cambridge or Edexcel IGCSE and A-Level with past papers marked to the mark scheme. Dubai home tutors for IGCSE quote AED 150 to 200, A-Level AED 180 to 250. The mark scheme is the thing to pay for; a tutor who has not marked to it cannot teach to it.
IB schools (PYP, MYP, Diploma). The criteria are the product: MYP criteria A to D and the Diploma internal assessment. IB tutors in Dubai are the most expensive at AED 200 to 250; the criteria are the same everywhere, and our IB tutors teach them at the same AED 37 to 48.
American schools (Common Core, AP). Common Core from Grade 3, Algebra to Pre-Calculus, AP sciences and calculus, the SAT. Fewer Dubai tutors know the American sequence; families often end up with a CBSE tutor teaching Indian methods to an American test. Ask any tutor which curriculum they will teach; the answer should be the school's.
The KHDA rule (2023)
Since 2023, private tutoring in person in the UAE requires a private teacher work permit, issued through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation with the approval of KHDA in Dubai or ADEK in Abu Dhabi, and unlicensed home tutoring can be fined. Many home tutors are now licensed; ask to see the permit. Online tutoring bought from a company outside the UAE is a service purchased from abroad, like an online course, and is not covered by the permit rule; that is the legal footing of India-based tutoring, and it is why the price is what it is.
Packages, and why to ignore them
Centres and some agencies quote per month or per term: AED 800 a month for two classes a week, AED 3,000 a term. Divide by the hours. AED 800 for eight group classes is AED 100 an hour in a group of twelve; AED 3,000 for a term of 24 classes is AED 125 an hour. Compare per hour, per child, in the format you are actually buying.
The questions to ask before paying
- Which curriculum and textbook will you teach from? (The school's, by name.)
- Is it one child per tutor or a group, and how many?
- Will it be the same tutor every week?
- What do we receive after each class? (Recording, notes, an assignment; or nothing.)
- Can I sit in?
- What is the price per hour, and can we stop after a month?
How to compare two tutors in a week
Book both free classes on the same topic in the same week (most providers offer one). Afterwards, compare what the child can do on that topic, what arrived after the class, and whether the tutor taught the school's method. Then compare the per-hour price. Two free classes cost an evening and settle the question for a year.
What we do
Our UAE page has the four school systems, the three situations we meet most in Dubai families, and the same fee table; the pricing page has the rate in dirhams and every other currency. One tutor, one child, in the school's own order, US$10 to $13 an hour, billed monthly, no contract, 1.5 hours ahead of your tutor. The free 30-minute class is a real lesson; send the school name and the class.
Questions parents ask
1How much does online tuition cost in Dubai?
2Are private tutors legal in Dubai?
3What is a fair price for a CBSE tutor in Dubai?
4How do I compare two online tutors?
See how we teach this, 1-on-1 online →
Shobha
Founder and lead tutor, Science with Shobha
Teaching maths, science and English to children online since 2018. 500+ students, 20+ tutors, families in nine countries.