Moving to United Arab Emirates from Philippines

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Philippines to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 2.5 times more expensive than Philippines overall. A ₱4,598,400 salary in Philippines would need to be roughly AED579,884 in United Arab Emirates to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

₱4,598,400 AED579,884

To maintain the same standard of living in United Arab Emirates

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 88.5% more

Groceries

pay 1.0% more

Transportation

pay 2.4 times more

Housing

pay 4.2 times more

Childcare

pay 2.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.6 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 PHP = 0.0599 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.

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 64% more than cities in Philippines.

United Arab Emirates

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
564,769 ↑ 9% vs 2015

people born in Philippines 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 Philippines.

Is it safe?

Homicide rateUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PH
4.3
AE
0.5
Road traffic deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PH
9.7
AE
5.9

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per personWorld Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PH
$560
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PH
7.9
AE
29.1

Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PH
92.0
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capitaWorld Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PH
1.5t
AE
18.3t

Philippines generally does better on environment, though United Arab Emirates leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PH
7.6
AE
40.0
Water stress levelUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PH
27.2%
AE
1533.3%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateThe World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PH
2.2%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capitaThe World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PH
$9,700
AE
$75,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyThe World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PH
70.1 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs
Infant mortalityThe World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PH
22.2
AE
5.1

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

Data: Bureau of Internal Revenue, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

ManilaRain: 86.7 in/yr (2201 mm)
88°/77°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsManilaAbu Dhabi
Jan–Mar87°/75°F (31°/24°C)78°/56°F (26°/14°C)
Apr–Jun91°/79°F (33°/26°C)99°/72°F (37°/22°C)
Jul–Sep88°/78°F (31°/26°C)106°/81°F (41°/27°C)
Oct–Dec87°/77°F (30°/25°C)87°/64°F (31°/18°C)
View all months
MonthManilaAbu Dhabi
Jan85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C)75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)
Feb87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)
Mar90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C)83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)
Apr92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C)92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)
May92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C)101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)
Jun90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C)103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)
Jul88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C)108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)
Aug87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C)107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)
Sep88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C)104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)
Oct88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C)96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)
Nov87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C)87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)
Dec85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C)78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)

Data: Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Philippines 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.

Philippines passport

Philippines passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Philippines 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 Philippines

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

On average United Arab Emirates is around 111% pricier than Philippines, with notable variation by city.

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

Budget about AED144,971 for 3 months in United Arab Emirates (based on a ₱4,598,400 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?

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 Philippines across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.3 in Philippines.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Philippines?

Philippines 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 7.9 in Philippines. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Philippines: 58).

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

The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 88°F in Manila. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Manila gets 86.7 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Philippines, the official languages are English and Filipino.

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At a Glance

PH AE
Population114,597,2299,915,803
CurrencyPhilippine Peso (₱)United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
LanguagesEnglish, FilipinoArabic
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+63+971
Time zones11
Emergency number911999