Moving to Canada from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Arab Emirates to Canada — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Canada, you would find that Canada is 32.2% more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,438 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly CA$100,997 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 93°F in Abu Dhabi, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from United Arab Emirates to Canada.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,438 → CA$100,997
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.1 times more
Groceries
pay 73.1% more
Transportation
pay 30.6% more
Housing
pay 13.0% less
Childcare
pay 46.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.0% less
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 Canada cost about 1% more than cities in United Arab Emirates.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Canada
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
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United Arab Emirates to Canada, based on official data.
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
- 254,831
- · · ·
-
60.22,608
United Arab Emirates
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Canada.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Canada 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada 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
Canada performs significantly 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
share of households with internet
United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Canada leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
share of people below the poverty line
United Arab Emirates generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada leads in poverty 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
Canada performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 | Abu Dhabi | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Meteorological Service of CanadaVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Canada
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Canada passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Canada than United Arab Emirates?
Yes — Canada is on average about 4% cheaper than United Arab Emirates. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CA$25,249 in Canada on a AED275,438 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Canada has 42.6 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 Canada safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
