Moving to Japan from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Arab Emirates to Japan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Japan, you would find that Japan is 26.3% cheaper than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED280,000 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly ¥8,910,000 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tokyo averages 69°F vs 91°F in Dubai, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Japan cheaper than United Arab Emirates?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 20.0% less
Groceries
pay 45.7% more
Transportation
pay 11.0% more
Housing
pay 59.1% less
Childcare
pay 9.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 41.3% 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.
What salary do you need in Japan?
What does your salary buy?
AED280,000 → ¥8,910,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →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 Japan cost about 22% less than cities in United Arab Emirates.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Japan
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United Arab Emirates to Japan, based on official data.
people moved from United Arab Emirates to Japan · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Japan?
Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.
- 775,893
- 456,203
- 335,668
- 275,252
- 204,814
- 58,340
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates 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 Japan 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
Japan 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 Japan 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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan 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
Japan generally does better on family life, though United Arab Emirates leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2003–2013), Ministry of Finance (2016), National Tax Agency Japan (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Japan vs United Arab Emirates
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Dubai | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 104°/83°F (40°/28°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dubai | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/57°F (24.0°/13.7°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 76°/58°F (24.6°/14.5°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 90°/68°F (32.4°/20.1°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 98°/74°F (36.8°/23.5°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 102°/79°F (38.8°/26.1°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 105°/84°F (40.6°/28.9°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 105°/85°F (40.4°/29.3°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 102°/79°F (38.7°/26.3°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.7°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 87°/65°F (30.5°/18.3°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.4°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Japan Meteorological AgencyCan you move from United Arab Emirates to Japan?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates and Japan. To live, work, or study long-term in Japan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Japan's immigration authority.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Free
Japan 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 Japan than United Arab Emirates?
Yes — Japan is on average about 26% cheaper than United Arab Emirates. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ¥2,227,500 in Japan on a AED280,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Japan?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Japan has 38.6 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 Japan safe for expats?
Japan performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 26.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 29.9 in United Arab Emirates. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 91°F in Dubai. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Dubai gets 3.7 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
