The short version
- United Arab Emirates has the lower entry bar: €3,033 per month versus €3,200 for Slovenia.
- Tax treatment differs: Slovenia — standard resident taxation; United Arab Emirates — no personal income tax. Tax outcomes depend heavily on personal circumstances.
| Criteria | Slovenia Digital Nomad Permit | United Arab Emirates VWP |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum income / month | €3,200 | €3,033 (better) |
| Income basis | Savings accepted | Salary / employment contract |
| Initial duration | 1 year | 1 year |
| Renewable | No | Yes (better) |
| Maximum total stay | 1 year | No fixed limit |
| Path to permanent residence | Indirect (switch required) | No |
| Path to citizenship | Via permanent residence | No |
| Family inclusion | Yes | Yes |
| Working for local clients | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Tax treatment | Standard resident taxation | No personal income tax |
| Health insurance | Required (explicit), min. €30,000 | Required (explicit) |
| Insurance duration required | Full visa period | Full visa period |
| Application fee | ≈ €102 | ≈ €88 (better) |
| Where to apply | Embassy / consulate, In country | Online, In country |
| Processing time | 4–9 weeks | 0.3 weeks |
Green values mark the objectively better number in that row.
Full guide
Slovenia Digital Nomad Permit →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Full guide
United Arab Emirates VWP →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Don't forget insurance
Both programs have their own health-insurance rules — we match plans against each one's published requirement, with the evidence shown.
Sources
- Government Temporary residence permit for digital nomads - GOV.SI (Government of the Republic of Slovenia) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Temporary residence permit for digital nomads - income (twice average net salary), one-year non-extendable duration, six-month reapplication, application locations (embassy / administrative unit), immediate family reunification, health-insurance requirement - GOV.SI (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Act on Amendments to the Aliens Act (ZTuj-2I) - legal basis for the digital nomad permit; adopted 25 Apr 2025, Official Gazette No. 32/2025 (6 May 2025), in force 21 May 2025 (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Slovenia Launches 12-Month Digital Nomad Visa in November 2025 - Immigrant Invest (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Slovenia: Digital Nomad Permit - Intermark Relocation (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Slovenia Digital Nomad Visa Guide (2026): income ~EUR 3,200/mo, fee EUR 50 in-country / EUR 102 embassy + EUR 12 card, insurance min EUR 30,000, processing 30-60 days, family - ExpatDen (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Taxation of Digital Nomads in Slovenia: Residency Permit, Tax Residency and Income Tax Rules (183-day rule; permit does not auto-trigger tax residency) - Sibiz d.o.o. (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Slovenia's average net salary EUR 1,602 in 2025 (SURS / Statistical Office; basis for 2x income threshold = ~EUR 3,204) - SeeNews (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Slovenia Digital Nomad Visa 2025 - Eligibility, Costs & How to Apply - Citizen Remote (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Work remotely from Dubai (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Work remotely from Dubai - eligibility: salary of at least US$3,500 (AED12,856) per month, 1-year contract with a non-UAE company (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Work remotely from Dubai - health insurance valid for the UAE for at least one year; travel insurance acceptable with necessary cover (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Work remotely from Dubai - visa costs as of August 2024 (US$101/AED 372.50 outside Dubai; US$334/AED 1,225.90 via AMER in Dubai, incl. VAT) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government GDRFA Dubai - Issuance of the virtual work residence permit (salary certificate USD 3,500 or equivalent; health insurance copy compulsory) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government GDRFA Dubai - Issuance of the virtual work residence permit (channels, documents, AED fees, 48h service time, 60-day grace, one year subject to renewal) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government GDRFA Dubai - Visa Issuance (Virtual Work) (valid health insurance document required at entry stage; USD 3,500 income condition) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government GDRFA Dubai - Visa Issuance (Virtual Work) (entry visa fee AED 200 + 5% VAT and surcharges; one-year extendable residence; family sponsorship) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government GDRFA Dubai - Renewing a virtual work residence permit (renewal service: salary certificate USD 3,500 mandatory, health insurance mandatory, AED 200 + surcharges, 48h, no savings requirement, no stated renewal cap) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government u.ae - Residence visa for working outside the UAE (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government u.ae - Residence visa for working outside the UAE ('zero income tax for individuals' under programme benefits) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government ECB reference exchange rate via Frankfurter API (2026-06-10: 1 USD = 0.86663 EUR) used for EUR conversions; AED converted via the 3.6725 USD peg (ECB publishes no AED rate) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10