Moving to Germany from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Germany? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Germany, you would find that Germany is 65.4% more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,438 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly €63,706 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Berlin averages 56°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 Germany.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,438 → €63,706
To maintain the same standard of living in Germany
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.1 times more
Groceries
pay 57.9% more
Transportation
pay 95.0% more
Housing
pay 2.6% less
Childcare
pay 2.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 10.8% 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 Germany cost about 8% more than cities in 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 United Arab Emirates to Germany.
people moved from United Arab Emirates to Germany · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Germany compared to United Arab Emirates.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Germany 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
Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates 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
Germany 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 Germany 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 Germany 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
Germany 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 | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) |
Data:
Deutscher Wetterdienst
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Germany
Visa Free
Germany 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 Germany than United Arab Emirates?
On average Germany is about 3% less expensive than United Arab Emirates, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Germany?
Budget about €15,926 for 3 months in Germany (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 Germany?
Connectivity is usually fine (Germany: 45.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Germany offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Germany safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Germany compared to United Arab Emirates?
Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Germany compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Germany?
The official language in Germany is German. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
