Moving to United Arab Emirates from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to United Arab Emirates — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 79.5% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,218,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly AED525,720 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 Pretoria, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Africa to United Arab Emirates.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,218,000 → AED525,720
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 4.4% more
Groceries
pay 22.3% more
Transportation
pay 8.7% more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 2.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.8 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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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa 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 South Africa 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 South Africa 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
South Africa performs better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.
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 South Africa 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 South Africa 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 generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: South African Revenue Service, 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 | Pretoria | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) |
South African Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa Online (e-Visa)
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting South Africa
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 South Africa?
No — United Arab Emirates is on average about 91% more expensive than South Africa. 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 AED131,430 in United Arab Emirates on a ZAR1,218,000 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 South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to South Africa?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in United Arab Emirates compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?
The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. United Arab Emirates
At a Glance
ZA
|
AE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 9,915,803 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Arabic |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +971 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 999 |