Moving to United Arab Emirates from Pakistan
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Pakistan to United Arab Emirates — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Pakistan to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 5.4 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,891,250 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly AED963,188 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.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Pakistan to United Arab Emirates.
What does your salary buy?
PKR20,891,250 → AED963,188
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 2.7 times more
Groceries
pay 2.5 times more
Transportation
pay 3.2 times more
Housing
pay 11.2 times more
Childcare
pay 11.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.1 times more
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 Pakistan to United Arab Emirates, based on official data.
people born in Pakistan 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.
- 3,471,300
- 1,095,231
-
3.996,288
Pakistan
- 899,612
- 564,769
- 318,809
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Pakistan to United Arab Emirates.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Pakistan generally does better on environment, though United Arab Emirates leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Pakistan leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Pakistan across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Islamabad | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Islamabad | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) |
| Feb | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) |
| May | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) |
| Jun | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) |
| Aug | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) |
| Sep | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) |
| Oct | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) |
| Nov | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) |
| Dec | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) |
Data:
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Pakistan 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.
Pakistan passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa Online (e-Visa)
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa FreeData: 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 Pakistan?
No — United Arab Emirates is on average about 250% more expensive than Pakistan. 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 AED240,797 in United Arab Emirates on a PKR20,891,250 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 Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.2 in Pakistan.
How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Pakistan?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).
What's the weather like in United Arab Emirates compared to Pakistan?
The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.
What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?
The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.
