Moving to United Arab Emirates from Oman

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Oman to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 52.9% more expensive than Oman overall. A OMR28,838 salary in Oman would need to be roughly AED486,841 in United Arab Emirates to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

OMR28,838 AED486,841

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 42.8% more

Groceries

pay 15.4% more

Transportation

pay 20.9% more

Housing

pay 2.6 times more

Childcare

pay 71.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 OMR = 9.55 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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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

OM
0.3
AE
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

OM
11.0
AE
5.9

Oman generally does better on safety, though United Arab Emirates leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

OM
$1,444
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

OM
20.6
AE
29.1

Oman 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

OM
104.0
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

OM
18.7t
AE
18.3t

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Oman 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

OM
10.9
AE
40.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

OM
116.7%
AE
1533.3%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

OM
1.5%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

OM
$40,000
AE
$75,600

Oman generally does better on employment & economy, though United Arab Emirates leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

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

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

OM
14.4
AE
5.1

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

Data: Ministry of Finance, Oman, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Muscat Rain: 3.5 in/yr (90 mm)
91° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Muscat Abu Dhabi
Jan–Mar 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) 78°/56°F (26°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 100°/82°F (38°/28°C) 99°/72°F (37°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 97°/83°F (36°/28°C) 106°/81°F (41°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/70°F (31°/21°C) 87°/64°F (31°/18°C)
View all months
Month Muscat Abu Dhabi
Jan 77°/62°F (25.1°/16.7°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)
Feb 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.8°C) 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)
Mar 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.3°C) 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)
Apr 94°/76°F (34.7°/24.2°C) 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)
May 103°/84°F (39.6°/28.7°C) 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)
Jun 104°/87°F (40.0°/30.3°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)
Jul 100°/86°F (38.0°/30.1°C) 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)
Aug 96°/83°F (35.6°/28.2°C) 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)
Sep 96°/80°F (35.6°/26.8°C) 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)
Oct 94°/76°F (34.6°/24.2°C) 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)
Nov 87°/69°F (30.3°/20.8°C) 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)
Dec 80°/65°F (26.8°/18.3°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)

Data: Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Oman 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.

Oman passport

Oman passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

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

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Oman

Visa Free
United Arab Emirates passport holders can enter Oman 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 Oman?

No — United Arab Emirates is on average about 77% more expensive than Oman. 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 AED121,710 in United Arab Emirates on a OMR28,838 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?

Oman generally does better on safety, though United Arab Emirates leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Oman.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Oman?

Oman 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 20.6 in Oman. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Oman: 70).

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

The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 91°F in Muscat. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Muscat gets 3.5 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

Both Oman and United Arab Emirates share the same official language: Arabic.

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At a Glance

OM AE
Population 3,764,348 9,915,803
Currency Omani Rial (OMR) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages Arabic Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +968 +971
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 9999 999