Moving to Israel from United Arab Emirates

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What to Expect

Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Israel? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Israel, you would find that Israel is 60.0% more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,486 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly ₪247,347 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jerusalem averages 72°F vs 93°F in Abu Dhabi, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Arab Emirates and Israel.

What does your salary buy?

AED275,486 ₪247,347

To maintain the same standard of living in Israel

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 3.0 times more

Groceries

pay 51.8% more

Transportation

pay 69.0% more

Housing

pay 10.8% less

Childcare

pay 78.2% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 AED = 0.7628 ILS (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from United Arab Emirates to Israel.

Moved in 2023
16 ↑ 33% vs 2022

people moved from United Arab Emirates to Israel · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Israel?

Top countries of origin for Israel's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Israel compared to United Arab Emirates.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AE
0.5
IL
1.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AE
5.9
IL
4.2

United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AE
$3,727
IL
$4,033
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AE
29.1
IL
37.1

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AE
70.0
IL
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AE
18.3t
IL
5.8t

Israel performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AE
40.0
IL
29.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AE
1533.3%
IL
132.0%

United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AE
2.7%
IL
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AE
$75,600
IL
$48,300

United Arab Emirates performs better than Israel across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AE
79.6 yrs
IL
83.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AE
5.1
IL
3.6

Israel generally does better on family life, though United Arab Emirates leads in literacy rate.

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.

Abu Dhabi Rain: 3.5 in/yr (89 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Abu Dhabi Jerusalem
Jan–Mar 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) 58°/46°F (15°/8°C)
Apr–Jun 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) 78°/60°F (25°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) 85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) 68°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
Month Abu Dhabi Jerusalem
Jan 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C)
Feb 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C)
Mar 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C)
Apr 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C)
May 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C)
Jun 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C)
Jul 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C)
Aug 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C)
Sep 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C)
Oct 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C)
Nov 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C)
Dec 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C)

Data: Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates and Israel. To live, work, or study long-term in Israel, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Israel's immigration authority.

United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Israel

Electronic Travel Authorisation
United Arab Emirates passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Israel.
Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Free
Israel passport holders can enter United Arab Emirates without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Israel than United Arab Emirates?

On average Israel is around 18% pricier than United Arab Emirates, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Israel?

Budget about ₪61,837 for 3 months in Israel (based on a AED275,486 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Israel?

Connectivity is usually fine (Israel: 29.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Israel offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Israel safe for expats?

United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.

How is healthcare in Israel compared to United Arab Emirates?

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 37.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).

What's the weather like in Israel compared to United Arab Emirates?

The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.

What language do they speak in Israel?

The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

AE IL
Population 9,915,803 8,914,885
Currency United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) Israeli New Sheqel (₪)
Languages Arabic Arabic, Hebrew
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +971 +972
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 100