Moving to United Arab Emirates from Gambia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Gambia to United Arab Emirates, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GM
22.0
AE
5.9

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GM
$94
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

GM
1.0
AE
29.1

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GM
90.0
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GM
0.2t
AE
18.3t

Gambia generally does better on environment, though United Arab Emirates leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GM
0.2
AE
40.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GM
2.2%
AE
1533.3%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GM
6.5%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GM
$2,900
AE
$75,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GM
67.6 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GM
37.2
AE
5.1

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Gambia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Banjul Rain: 32.3 in/yr (821 mm)
90° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Abu Dhabi Rain: 3.5 in/yr (89 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Banjul Abu Dhabi
Jan–Mar 91°/65°F (33°/19°C) 78°/56°F (26°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) 99°/72°F (37°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 106°/81°F (41°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 92°/71°F (33°/22°C) 87°/64°F (31°/18°C)
View all months
Month Banjul Abu Dhabi
Jan 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)
Feb 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C) 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)
Mar 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C) 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)
Apr 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C) 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)
May 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C) 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)
Jun 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)
Jul 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C) 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)
Aug 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C) 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)
Oct 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C) 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)
Nov 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C) 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)
Dec 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)

Data: Department of Water Resources Department of Water Resources

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Gambia 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.

Gambia passport

Gambia passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Gambia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Arab Emirates.
United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Gambia

Visa Free
United Arab Emirates passport holders can enter Gambia 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 Gambia and United Arab Emirates.

Is United Arab Emirates safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Gambia?

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 1.0 in Gambia. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Gambia: 46).

What's the weather like in United Arab Emirates compared to Gambia?

The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 90°F in Banjul. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Banjul gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

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

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At a Glance

GM AE
Population 2,413,403 9,915,803
Currency Gambian Dalasi (GMD) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages English Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +220 +971
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999