Moving to India from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to India? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to India, you would find that India is 78.1% cheaper than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED280,000 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly ₹1,620,000 in India to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hindi and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Arab Emirates and India.
What does your salary buy?
AED280,000 → ₹1,620,000
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 67.5% less
Groceries
pay 59.6% less
Transportation
pay 53.4% less
Housing
pay 90.7% less
Childcare
pay 85.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 75.3% 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 India cost about 63% less 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 India.
people born in United Arab Emirates live in India · UN DESA
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in India 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 India 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 India 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
United Arab Emirates generally does better on environment, though India leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 India 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
share of people below the poverty line
United Arab Emirates performs better than India 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 India leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2003–2011), Ministry of Finance (2016), Ministry of Finance, Government of India (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Abu Dhabi | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
India Meteorological DepartmentVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in India than United Arab Emirates?
On average India is about 78% less expensive than United Arab Emirates, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to India?
Budget about ₹405,000 for 3 months in India (based on a AED280,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from India?
Connectivity is usually fine (India: 3.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does India offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is India safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates performs better than India across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in India compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though India leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.2 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 29.9 in United Arab Emirates. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in India compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
