Moving to Singapore from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Arab Emirates to Singapore — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Singapore, you would find that Singapore is 76.3% more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,486 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly SGD202,250 in Singapore to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from United Arab Emirates to Singapore.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,486 → SGD202,250
To maintain the same standard of living in Singapore
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 46.9% more
Groceries
pay 86.6% more
Transportation
pay 2.3 times more
Housing
pay 44.0% more
Childcare
pay 3.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 23.1% more
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Singapore.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Singapore 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Singapore 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
Singapore 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
United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Singapore 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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Singapore leads in gdp per capita.
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 Singapore leads in life expectancy.
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 | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) |
Meteorological Service SingaporeVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates and Singapore. To live, work, or study long-term in Singapore, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Singapore's immigration authority.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Singapore
Visa Free
Singapore passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Singapore than United Arab Emirates?
No — Singapore is on average about 111% more expensive than United Arab Emirates. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Singapore?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SGD50,562 in Singapore on a AED275,486 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Singapore?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Singapore has 37.7 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 Singapore safe for expats?
Singapore performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Singapore is 0.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Singapore compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Singapore leads in health coverage index. There are 26.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Singapore, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Singapore scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Singapore compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Singapore is 89°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Singapore receives around 83.2 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Singapore?
The official languages in Singapore are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
