Moving to Nigeria from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Nigeria? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Nigeria, you would find that Nigeria is 45.0% cheaper than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,486 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly NGN55,466,061 in Nigeria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,486 → NGN55,466,061
To maintain the same standard of living in Nigeria
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 51.5% less
Groceries
pay 17.9% more
Transportation
pay 15.5% less
Housing
pay 60.9% less
Childcare
pay 82.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 66.9% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Nigeria 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 Nigeria 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria 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 Nigeria 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
United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Nigeria 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
United Arab Emirates performs better than Nigeria 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 performs better than Nigeria 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 | Abuja |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Abuja |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) |
Nigerian Meteorological AgencyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates and Nigeria. To live, work, or study long-term in Nigeria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Nigeria's immigration authority.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Nigeria passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa Online (e-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 Nigeria than United Arab Emirates?
On average Nigeria is about 46% less expensive than United Arab Emirates, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Nigeria?
Budget about NGN13,866,515 for 3 months in Nigeria (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 Nigeria?
Connectivity is usually fine (Nigeria: 0.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Nigeria offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Nigeria safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates performs better than Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Nigeria is 21.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Nigeria compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 3.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Nigeria, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Nigeria scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Nigeria compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Abuja is 91°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Abuja receives around 48.1 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Nigeria?
The official language in Nigeria is English. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
