Moving to China from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to China, you would find that China is 34.2% cheaper than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,438 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly CN¥238,670 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Beijing averages 64°F vs 93°F in Abu Dhabi, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Arab Emirates and China.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,438 → CN¥238,670
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 51.2% less
Groceries
pay 20.0% less
Transportation
pay 29.8% less
Housing
pay 78.7% less
Childcare
pay 34.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 55.9% 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 China cost about 46% less than cities in United Arab Emirates.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to United Arab Emirates.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates performs better than China 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
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 China 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
China 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 China 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 China 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
United Arab Emirates performs better than China 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 | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
China Meteorological AdministrationVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates and China. To live, work, or study long-term in China, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check China's immigration authority.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting China
Visa Free
China passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
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 China than United Arab Emirates?
On average China is about 53% less expensive than United Arab Emirates, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥59,668 for 3 months in China (based on a AED275,438 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from China?
Connectivity is usually fine (China: 41.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does China offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is China safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates performs better than China across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in China compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in China compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
