Moving to United Arab Emirates from Maldives

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Maldives 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.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MV
0.6
AE
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MV
1.3
AE
5.9

Maldives generally does better on safety, though United Arab Emirates leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MV
$2,288
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MV
21.6
AE
29.1

Maldives 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

MV
29.0
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MV
3.6t
AE
18.3t

Maldives 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

MV
17.4
AE
40.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MV
15.7%
AE
1533.3%

Maldives generally does better on infrastructure, though United Arab Emirates leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MV
4.1%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MV
$22,400
AE
$75,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MV
76.9 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MV
25.7
AE
5.1

United Arab Emirates generally does better on family life, though Maldives leads in education spending.

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Maldives 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.

Maldives passport

Maldives passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa on Arrival
Maldives passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in United Arab Emirates.
United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Maldives

Visa on Arrival
United Arab Emirates passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Maldives.

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 Maldives and United Arab Emirates.

Is United Arab Emirates safe for expats?

Maldives generally does better on safety, though United Arab Emirates leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Maldives.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Maldives?

Maldives 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 21.6 in Maldives. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Maldives: 61).

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Maldives, the official language is Maldivian.

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At a Glance

MV AE
Population 390,164 9,915,803
Currency Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages Maldivian Arabic
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +960 +971
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999