Moving to United Arab Emirates from Nepal

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Nepal to United Arab Emirates — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Nepal to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 4.9 times more expensive than Nepal overall. A NPR11,474,748 salary in Nepal would need to be roughly AED795,652 in United Arab Emirates to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abu Dhabi averages 93°F vs 77°F in Kathmandu, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Nepal to United Arab Emirates.

What does your salary buy?

NPR11,474,748 AED795,652

To maintain the same standard of living in United Arab Emirates

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 2.9 times more

Groceries

pay 2.1 times more

Transportation

pay 86.6% more

Housing

pay 14.0 times more

Childcare

pay 6.5 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.0 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NPR = 0.024 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?

How many people actually move from Nepal to United Arab Emirates, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
27,886 ↑ 9% vs 2015

people born in Nepal 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Nepal to United Arab Emirates.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NP
2.1
AE
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NP
28.2
AE
5.9

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

NP
$332
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

NP
8.7
AE
29.1

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nepal 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

NP
76.0
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NP
0.5t
AE
18.3t

Nepal 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

NP
4.7
AE
40.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NP
8.3%
AE
1533.3%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NP
10.7%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NP
$4,700
AE
$75,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NP
72.4 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NP
25.1
AE
5.1

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

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kathmandu Rain: 56.1 in/yr (1425 mm)
77° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kathmandu Abu Dhabi
Jan–Mar 69°/40°F (21°/4°C) 78°/56°F (26°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 99°/72°F (37°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/67°F (28°/19°C) 106°/81°F (41°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 87°/64°F (31°/18°C)
View all months
Month Kathmandu Abu Dhabi
Jan 64°/36°F (18.0°/2.1°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)
Feb 68°/39°F (20.2°/3.8°C) 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)
Mar 76°/46°F (24.3°/7.5°C) 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)
Apr 81°/52°F (27.4°/11.3°C) 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)
May 83°/60°F (28.2°/15.5°C) 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)
Jun 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.0°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)
Jul 82°/68°F (27.7°/20.0°C) 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)
Aug 82°/67°F (28.0°/19.7°C) 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)
Sep 81°/65°F (27.2°/18.2°C) 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)
Oct 78°/55°F (25.8°/13.0°C) 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (22.7°/7.4°C) 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)
Dec 67°/37°F (19.4°/3.0°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)

Data: Department of Hydrology and meteorology Department of Hydrology and meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nepal 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.

Nepal passport

Nepal passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Nepal 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 Nepal

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

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 Nepal?

No — United Arab Emirates is on average about 189% more expensive than Nepal. City-level variation matters.

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

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly AED198,913 in United Arab Emirates on a NPR11,474,748 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from United Arab Emirates?

Internet is rarely the blocker — United Arab Emirates has 40.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is United Arab Emirates safe for expats?

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Nepal across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Nepal.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Nepal?

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nepal leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 8.7 in Nepal. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nepal: 54).

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

The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 77°F in Kathmandu. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Kathmandu gets 56.1 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Nepal, the official language is Nepali.

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At a Glance

NP AE
Population 30,666,598 9,915,803
Currency Nepalese Rupee (NPR) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages Nepali Arabic
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +977 +971
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 100 999