Moving to United Arab Emirates from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to United Arab Emirates — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 36.8% more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩113,056,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly AED365,868 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 Seoul, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Korea to United Arab Emirates.
What does your salary buy?
₩113,056,500 → AED365,868
To maintain the same standard of living in United Arab Emirates
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 1.8% more
Groceries
pay 40.8% less
Transportation
pay 8.7% more
Housing
pay 2.9 times more
Childcare
pay 7.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 90.4% 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.
Get free moving quotes to United Arab Emirates
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and United Arab Emirates stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea generally does better on safety, though United Arab Emirates leads in road traffic deaths.
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 Korea leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though United Arab Emirates leads in electricity per capita.
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 generally does better on employment & economy, though South Korea leads in unemployment rate.
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
South Korea generally does better on family life, though United Arab Emirates leads in literacy rate.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) |
Korea Meteorological AdministrationVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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 Korea passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa on Arrival
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting South Korea
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Korea?
Day-to-day costs in United Arab Emirates run about 33% higher than South Korea on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to United Arab Emirates?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ₩113,056,500 comparable salary, that's around AED91,467 in United Arab Emirates for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United Arab Emirates?
With 40.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United Arab Emirates can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in South Korea and United Arab Emirates.
Is United Arab Emirates safe for expats?
South Korea 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 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to South Korea?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in United Arab Emirates compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?
The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
