Moving to United Arab Emirates from Morocco

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Morocco to United Arab Emirates? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Morocco to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 2.3 times more expensive than Morocco overall. A MAD688,781 salary in Morocco would need to be roughly AED523,020 in United Arab Emirates to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abu Dhabi averages 93°F vs 73°F in Rabat, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Morocco and United Arab Emirates.

What does your salary buy?

MAD688,781 AED523,020

To maintain the same standard of living in United Arab Emirates

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 57.5% more

Groceries

pay 64.8% more

Transportation

pay 46.4% more

Housing

pay 4.2 times more

Childcare

pay 3.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.4 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MAD = 0.4 AED (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Morocco to United Arab Emirates.

Living there in 2020
8,942 ↑ 9% vs 2015

people born in Morocco live in United Arab Emirates · UN DESA

Who's moving to United Arab Emirates?

Top countries of origin for United Arab Emirates's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in United Arab Emirates compared to Morocco.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MA
1.7
AE
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MA
18.6
AE
5.9

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MA
$606
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MA
7.3
AE
29.1

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Morocco leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MA
59.0
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MA
1.8t
AE
18.3t

Morocco 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

MA
6.4
AE
40.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MA
50.8%
AE
1533.3%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
9.1%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$8,800
AE
$75,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MA
73.7 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MA
19.2
AE
5.1

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

Data: Direction Générale des Impôts, Morocco, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rabat Rain: 20.6 in/yr (522 mm)
73° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rabat Abu Dhabi
Jan–Mar 65°/47°F (19°/8°C) 78°/56°F (26°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/56°F (23°/13°C) 99°/72°F (37°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) 106°/81°F (41°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) 87°/64°F (31°/18°C)
View all months
Month Rabat Abu Dhabi
Jan 63°/45°F (17.4°/7.2°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)
Feb 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.8°C) 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)
Mar 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.5°C) 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)
Apr 70°/52°F (21.2°/10.9°C) 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)
May 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.3°C) 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)
Jun 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)
Jul 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.9°C) 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)
Aug 82°/65°F (27.8°/18.3°C) 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)
Sep 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)
Oct 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.4°C) 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)
Nov 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.8°C) 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)
Dec 65°/48°F (18.6°/8.8°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)

Data: Direction de la Météorologie Nationale Direction de la Météorologie Nationale

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Morocco 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.

Morocco passport

Morocco passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Morocco 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 Morocco

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in United Arab Emirates than Morocco?

On average United Arab Emirates is around 90% pricier than Morocco, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to United Arab Emirates?

Budget about AED130,755 for 3 months in United Arab Emirates (based on a MAD688,781 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United Arab Emirates?

Connectivity is usually fine (United Arab Emirates: 40.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United Arab Emirates offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is United Arab Emirates safe for expats?

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Morocco across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.7 in Morocco.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Morocco?

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Morocco leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 7.3 in Morocco. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Morocco: 69).

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

The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 73°F in Rabat. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Rabat gets 20.6 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Morocco, the official languages are Arabic and Berber.

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At a Glance

MA AE
Population 36,738,229 9,915,803
Currency Moroccan Dirham (MAD) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages Arabic, Berber Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +212 +971
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 15 999