Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 1.7 years longer

In United Kingdom, the average life expectancy is 81 years (80 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 83 years (82 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 82.1% less likely to die by suicide

United Kingdom has a suicide rate of 9.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In United Arab Emirates, it is 1.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 15.4% more likely to be obese

In United Kingdom, 27.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 31.6% of people as of 2024.

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see 43.6% less spent on your healthcare

United Kingdom spends $6,606 per person on healthcare as of 2024 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). United Arab Emirates spends $3,727 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 54.3% less likely to be unemployed

In United Kingdom, 4.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 2.2% as of 2025.

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make 12.7% less money

United Kingdom has a GDP per capita of $57,602 as of 2025, while in United Arab Emirates, the GDP per capita is $50,274 as of 2024.

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Life

be 62.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In United Kingdom, approximately 8.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In United Arab Emirates, 3.0 women do as of 2023.

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Expenditures

spend 34.2% less on education

United Kingdom spends 5.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. United Arab Emirates spends 3.9% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

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spend 55.3% less on healthcare

United Kingdom spends 11.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 5.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 89.4% less coastline

United Kingdom has a total of 12,429 km of coastline. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 1,318 km.

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Safety

be 38.4% less likely to be murdered

United Kingdom has a homicide rate of 1.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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be 2.5 times more likely to die in a road accident

In United Kingdom, road accidents kill 2.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In United Arab Emirates, they kill 5.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

use 3.6 times more electricity

United Kingdom uses 4,195 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. United Arab Emirates uses 15,285 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 105.2 times more strain on fresh water

United Kingdom withdraws 14% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. United Arab Emirates withdraws 1510% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 5.4 times more likely to die from air pollution

In United Kingdom, air pollution causes 13.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In United Arab Emirates, it causes 70.0 as of 2019.

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emit 4.3 times more CO2

United Kingdom emits 4.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. United Arab Emirates emits 18.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Compare further: United Kingdom vs. United Arab Emirates

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
United Arab Emirates is 24.1% cheaper than United Kingdom overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
United Kingdom is about 2.9 times bigger than United Arab Emirates.
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Moving from United Kingdom to United Arab Emirates · UN DESA 2020
29,191 people born in United Kingdom live in 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 United Kingdom? See an in-depth size comparison.

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