Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in United Arab Emirates instead of Iowa, you would:

Health

live 2.1 years longer

In Iowa, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 80 years (78 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022.

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Economy

make 18.6% more money

Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in United Arab Emirates, the GDP per capita is $75,600 as of 2023.

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be 17.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 2.7% as of 2023.

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Basic Needs

be 13.8% more likely to have internet access

In Iowa, approximately 87.9% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In United Arab Emirates, about 100.0% do as of 2021.

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The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Compare further: Iowa vs. United Arab Emirates
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
United Arab Emirates is 6.7% cheaper than Iowa
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Size Comparison · See true size
Iowa is about 1.7 times bigger than United Arab Emirates.
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United Arab Emirates: At a glance

United Arab Emirates is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 83,600 sq km. The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Dhabi, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. Its high oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. For more than three decades, oil and global finance drove the UAE's economy. However, in 2008-09, the confluence of falling oil prices, collapsing real estate prices, and the international banking crisis hit the UAE especially hard. The UAE has essentially avoided the "Arab Spring" unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East, though in March 2011, political activists and intellectuals signed a petition calling for greater public participation in governance that was widely circulated on the Internet. In an effort to stem potential further unrest, the government announced a multi-year, $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates and aggressively pursued advocates of political reform.
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How big is United Arab Emirates compared to Iowa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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