Moving to United Arab Emirates from Barbados

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Barbados to United Arab Emirates — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Barbados to United Arab Emirates, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Get free moving quotes to United Arab Emirates

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Key Indicator Comparison

How Barbados and United Arab Emirates stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BB
15.3
AE
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BB
10.0
AE
5.9

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Barbados across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BB
$1,153
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BB
29.7
AE
29.1

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BB
19.0
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BB
2.5t
AE
18.3t

Barbados performs better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BB
37.6
AE
40.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BB
87.5%
AE
1533.3%

United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Barbados leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BB
8.0%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BB
$17,400
AE
$75,600

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Barbados across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BB
78.5 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BB
9.6
AE
5.1

Barbados generally does better on family life, though United Arab Emirates leads in life expectancy.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Barbados, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Barbados and United Arab Emirates. To live, work, or study long-term in United Arab Emirates, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Arab Emirates's immigration authority.

Barbados passport

Barbados passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Free
Barbados passport holders can enter United Arab Emirates without a visa.
United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Barbados

Visa Free
United Arab Emirates passport holders can enter Barbados without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from United Arab Emirates?

With 40.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United Arab Emirates can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Barbados and United Arab Emirates.

Is United Arab Emirates safe for expats?

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Barbados across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 15.3 in Barbados.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Barbados?

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in health coverage index. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 29.7 in Barbados. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Barbados: 77).

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Barbados, the official language is English.

Share this

At a Glance

BB AE
Population 302,674 9,915,803
Currency Barbadian Dollar (BBD) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages English Arabic
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +1246 +971
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999