Moving to United Arab Emirates from New Jersey

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from New Jersey to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 27.7% cheaper than New Jersey. A $75,000 salary in New Jersey would need to be roughly AED233,097 in United Arab Emirates to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abu Dhabi averages 93°F vs 63°F in Trenton, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 AED233,097

To maintain the same standard of living in United Arab Emirates

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 56.4% less

Groceries

pay 45.8% less

Transportation

pay 24.4% less

Housing

pay 6.5% less

Childcare

pay 72.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (August 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.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in United Arab Emirates cost about 35% less than cities in New Jersey.

New Jersey

Princeton 87%

United Arab Emirates

Dubai 60%
Al Ain 48%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
15,620 ↑ 9% vs 2015

people born in United States 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 New Jersey.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NJ
30.0%
AE
31.7%

New Jersey performs better than United Arab Emirates across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

NJ
91.9%
AE
100.0%

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than New Jersey across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NJ
4.5%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NJ
$70,788
AE
$75,600

United Arab Emirates generally does better on employment & economy, though New Jersey leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NJ
77.5 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs

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

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Trenton Rain: 46.5 in/yr (1180 mm)
63° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Trenton Abu Dhabi
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 78°/56°F (26°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/51°F (22°/10°C) 99°/72°F (37°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 106°/81°F (41°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/36°F (12°/2°C) 87°/64°F (31°/18°C)
View all months
Month Trenton Abu Dhabi
Jan 39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)
Feb 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C) 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)
Mar 51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C) 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)
Apr 61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C) 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)
May 72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C) 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)
Jun 81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)
Jul 85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C) 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C) 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)
Sep 76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C) 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)
Oct 65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C) 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)
Nov 54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C) 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)
Dec 43°/28°F (6.2°/-2.4°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

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

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
United Arab Emirates passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 New Jersey?

On average United Arab Emirates is about 15% less expensive than New Jersey, with major cities narrowing the gap.

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

Budget about AED58,274 for 3 months in United Arab Emirates (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United Arab Emirates?

From major United Arab Emirates cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New Jersey and United Arab Emirates are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to New Jersey?

New Jersey performs better than United Arab Emirates across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 63°F in Trenton. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Trenton gets 46.5 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

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

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At a Glance

AE
Population 8,791,894 9,915,803
Currency United States Dollar ($) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages English Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +971
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 999